After qualifying as a civil engineer at University College London, Jacob went on to study hydrogeology at Imperial College London. He was an environmental adviser to the National Farmers’ Union and a water resources and water efficiency specialist at Water UK, before founding Waterwise in 2005, which remains the only not-for-profit organisation for water efficiency in the UK.

He developed the UK’s first formal Ofqual-approved water efficiency qualifications and is a visiting professor at Exeter University, currently developing an MSc course on water policy, science and management. In addition, Jacob is a WWF Associate specialising in developing water and wastewater systems and polices that enhance the environment. Jacob has sat on a number of European Commission working groups on issues ranging from drought planning to groundwater protection, and spent five years as the UK representative on the Eureau (pan-European water industry body) Drinking Water Commission, as well as chairing OFWAT’s Resilience Committee.