Secondment Spotlight – Praveen Muthusamy

Utilities can easily go unnoticed on major infrastructure projects but getting them right is essential before construction can begin.

Praveen Muthusamy works as a contractor through Waterman Aspen, bringing together years of operational, site and design experience.

He began his career in the gas industry in 2008 as a Production Planner, before progressing through a series of operational and project management roles. Over time, he moved from Supervisor and Authorising Engineer to Project Manager and Major Project Manager, building a strong understanding of how utilities work on site.

His move to HS2 as a Utilities Lead marked a shift into the design side of the industry, giving him the opportunity to combine that practical experience with a new perspective on how utilities are planned and coordinated.

That combination remains central to Praveen’s role today at Amey. He can bring practical site knowledge into conversations with designers and modellers, helping teams understand the implications of existing utilities and what may need to be protected, accommodated or diverted.

Getting utilities right before construction

Praveen is currently supporting two major infrastructure projects, where one of the biggest challenges is understanding exactly what already exists beneath the ground.

Utility records are not always completely accurate, and even surveys can leave some uncertainty. If an existing pipe or cable is not identified early enough, it can clash with the proposed design and lead to significant delays to the wider programme.

That makes early coordination essential. Praveen works with designers, modellers and utility companies to identify potential clashes, understand what can be protected and determine where a diversion may be unavoidable. On more complex utilities, those diversions can take many months to plan and complete.

On Cardiff Crossrail, Praveen is helping improve the accuracy of existing utility models, so the wider team has more reliable information to design against before work reaches site.

A key part of his role is also helping people from different disciplines understand why utilities need to be considered early. For Praveen, that means combining technical knowledge with clear communication, strong organisation and the ability to bring different teams together to solve problems before they affect delivery.

Finding the working arrangement that fits

Praveen actively looks for variety in his career. He originally joined Waterman Aspen as a permanent employee and has since chosen to work as a contractor. This is his first experience of contracting and gives him another way to access the projects and challenges he enjoys. 

“I’m sort of a person who wants variety in what I do. I get easily bored doing the same thing. Working for Waterman Aspen gave me so many different opportunities.” 

His previous work through Waterman Aspen included several years on HS2, where he worked with teams based across different countries and time zones. He believes the experience prepared him well for the challenges he takes on today. 

Having experienced both permanent employment and contracting, Praveen values having options depending on what works best for him. “It’s whichever suits your life’s needs.” 

That flexibility comes alongside one of the things he values most about working with Waterman Aspen: the opportunity to experience new projects, meet new people and take on different challenges.

---