Karen Atkinson is a Civil Engineer, who has been actively involved in the hydropower industry, based in the Asia Pacific region, for over 20 years. She previously worked for Stantec, and has now been with SMEC for more than 5 years. As SMEC’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer in South East Asia, Karen has significant exposure to the wide variety of projects being developed, and the challenges faced, across all South East Asia. Within SMEC Karen is also connected with a global network of hydropower specialists and iconic projects such as Snowy 2.0 in Australia.

Karen is passionate about the exciting future of hydropower as a core to the world’s renewable energy solutions and excited that IHA, as the leading industry body, is proactive in shaping conversations within the industry and with critical stakeholder groups who can advance hydro development.