Juan Gutierrez Andres

What do you enjoy most about working at HR Wallingford? 

The people. I am lucky to work alongside extremely talented individuals, many of whom I now consider friends rather than colleagues. This makes a huge difference to me. Spending time together discussing and solving complex technical challenges is what I enjoy most.

What is your specialism and what attracted you to it?

I am naturally curious, which  has led me to work across a  broad range of engineering disciplines, such as hydrodynamic computational modelling (including both salt and fresh water), physical hydraulic modelling, leakage detection & location, and motorway design. The area where I feel more comfortable with, however, is hydraulic modelling of complex urban networks, such as storm/foul drainage systems, and pressurized water and gas distribution networks. 

What have been your career highlights at HR Wallingford?

Spending two years in our Malaysia office, followed by another two years in Shanghai, were major career milestones. These experiences took me away from purely technical work and exposed me to the world of business development and software sales, while also allowing me to build an extensive international track record in planning, organising, and delivering training courses and seminars.

This journey ultimately led to my appointment as Global Product Manager of our own new software.

How do you deliver impact in your role? 

My strong solid technical foundation allows me to provide credibility and reassurance to clients when proposing and implementing our software solutions. I can answer all of their questions in-depth, take ownership of their technical problems, especially when they face the difficult task to implement real projects.

I do not shy away from technical issues. Not everyone on the business development or software sales world can claim that, and customers see the difference.

How do you help everyone live and work more sustainably with water? 

One of our key products, Sim-On Water, is designed to help water distribution networks owners to detect and locate much more efficiently new leakages in their systems. 

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing global challenges. Reducing losses in water distribution not only conserves water, but also saves energy, chemicals, time, and other valuable resources used in supplying customers— making a tangible contribution to sustainability.

What excites you most about your work? 

I am a keen traveller, and through my work at HR Wallingford  I have had many opportunities to visit and work in numerous countries across every continent (Antarctica excluded).

Working closely with local teams — rather than visiting as a tourist — has made a huge difference to me. It has definitely broadened my perception of the world and deepened my appreciation of cultural diversity. Providing companies and individuals worldwide with software tools, alongside practical knowledge and training, that can make them work more efficiently, aligns with my belief in building international relationships based on trust, respect, and collaboration.

How do you collaborate with others in your role?

I am lucky to work with an outstanding and highly skilled team. I carefully listen to them to understand their points of views, contributing ideas where appropriate, and constructively challenging their assumptions. This approach helps us continuously improve our products and deliver better outcomes for our clients.

How important is the opportunity to do research here for you?

Although, I am not personally involved in research as much as I once was, I it remains fundamental to my work.  

HR Wallingford’s ability to reinvest profits into research — rather than distributing them to external investors — is what enables us to develop innovative, high‑quality software solutions.

This research-led model is one of the key reasons I have remained with HR Wallingford for over 23 years.

How have you grown with HR Wallingford?

My professional development has largely been driven by the support, mentoring and generosity of colleagues I am fortunate to work with. Combined with my willingness to take on new professional challenges, this has allowed me to grow continuously throughout my career.
 

What do you like doing outside work?

I spend much of my free time playing and writing music. I have been playing the guitar since childhood and more recently took up the bouzouki with my new band The Green Ribbon Club, which whom I regularly perform gigs in West London where I live. 

I also love outdoor running. Last year I ran just over 2,400km. I try to run when travelling for work. As a result, I have run in every continent (again Antarctica excluded).