My Experience on the Shell Livewire Programme

By Kevin Watt, Managing Director

Earlier this year, I took part in the Shell Livewire programme in Aberdeen. It came at the right time for both me, and the company.

KCI was in a strong place technically. We had good projects behind us and clear ambitions ahead. But we were also at a point where growth, diversification and expansion into new markets needed sharper focus. I wanted to step back and properly think about where we were heading.

Running a business means you’re usually deep in the day-to-day detail. There’s always something urgent. Taking part in the programme gave me space to lift my head and look at the bigger picture.

It also made me reflect on leadership. As we grow, I realise that being intentional matters more. Balancing commercial success with environmental responsibility requires conscious decisions and clear direction, and I left this programme with renewed clarity.

We’ve always understood the value of what we do at KCI. But the programme helped me articulate it better. We’re brilliant at solving engineering problems, and we’re also preventing pollution, protecting infrastructure, and helping operators manage ageing assets more responsibly during the energy transition.

That shift in how we talk about our work has made a real difference. Internally, we’ve stronger alignment around our purpose. Externally, our conversations with clients feel clearer and more confident because of that.

The peer side of the programme was also valuable. Speaking openly with other entrepreneurs who are also building purposeful businesses was energising. Leadership can feel quite solitary at times, so those conversations really helped.

Shell Livewire strengthened my belief that we are going in the right direction. Engineering companies like ours have a meaningful role to play in a lower carbon future, by helping industry operate more safely and with less environmental impact while it transitions.

I’m truly grateful for the experience. It gave me perspective, and an even clearer sense of what we’re building next.