Karl Simons THE man who has spearheaded a mental health revolution at Britain’s biggest water company and beyond has been made an OBE in the New Year Honours List. Karl Simons, Thames Water’s chief health, safety and wellbeing officer, has been named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for ‘services to mental health policy’. An OBE is awarded to people who play a major local role in any activity, including those whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area. Since joining the Reading-based utility in 2012, Karl, who lives in the New Forest in Hampshire, has pioneered mental health policy reform both company-wide and nationally, attracting widespread praise and recognition from MPs, business leaders and trade professionals.