Q&A with Jason Cotton from our KSC Program

We don’t know Jason Cotton’s middle name… but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was Innovation. Find out why in this Q&A with our Knowledge Sharing & Collaboration Program deputy manager.

LET’S START WITH THE PERSONAL - TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF

I’m originally from Adelaide and I moved to Melbourne in 1997 with my job at ICI Australia (now Orica).

My biggest personal achievement was winning the 2013 Australian Business Award for Innovation for an innovation program I built at CitiPower Powercor.

Outside work, I love cooking, nature walks (somewhere near a winery or gin distillery) and listening to music. I restored a number of 1980s hi-fi components during the recent lockdowns and began building a vinyl collection, which is now at about 600 records. Travel is also a passion, usually in Asia. I’m looking forward to heading to Taiwan (my wife’s birth place) this Christmas holidays.

WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

I’m the Manager of Innovation and Continuous Improvement at Greater Western Water. I’ve been in the role for three years (including at the former Western Water).

WHAT’S YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?

I’m a physical organic chemist ‘by trade’ and my first job was as a chemist in wool scouring and carbonising in Adelaide where I was responsible for treating a trade waste stream high in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

After some time at ICI (now Orica), I began working in innovation and business, including delivering leadership and innovation courses and programs for corporate clients and developing innovative processes and methods for them. I ran my own innovation consultancy for about 10 years while also teaching at the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship before moving into innovation-focused roles in the energy, ICT and water sectors.

I’ve also dabbled in businesses and am currently a shareholder of a digital marketing, website development and video business based in Adelaide.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO EACH DAY IN ONE SENTENCE?

I help people find new and better ways of doing their job, treating water and recycling used water.

WHY DID YOU JOIN IWN?

I joined in 2019, mainly to connect with likeminded people and collaborate on transformative ways of delivering the water industry’s services and the processes that we use. I’m currently the Deputy Program Manager of the Knowledge Sharing & Collaboration Program.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH IWN?

I’d like to help our industry adopt new thinking and technology for better ways of working, and be a key part of shifting the mindset from waste treatment to resource recovery and value creation.

On a personal level, IWN provides tremendous collaboration opportunities to continue growing and learning.

WHAT GETS YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING?

Generally, my seven-month-old Mini Dachshund!

But seriously, it’s the fact I am contributing to providing an essential service that enables our customers, communities and Country to thrive. Water is life.

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Jason is the Deputy Program Manager of our Knowledge Sharing & Collaboration Program.