Michael Karl
VP Global Digital Lead Water, Aecom @AECOM
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WORK HISTORY
VP Global Digital Lead Water, Aecom @AECOM
Portland, OR, US
Serving as technology executive for AECOM\'s $2B+ Global Water Business Line, leading strategic vision and execution to serve our clients and experts delivering technology for clientsStrategic Vision & Execution: • Architected three-pillar digital strategy (Digital Advisory, Digital Implementation, Delivery Optimization) positioning AECOM to double the water business by 2029 • Established and govern Global Water AI Council, setting enterprise-wide AI deployment strategy, ethics, and value realization across 850+ digital water professionals • Driving 20%+ annual growth in digital advisory and implementation services while expanding into AI, Digital Twins, and Advanced Analytics marketsTechnology Innovation & Portfolio Management: • Deployed Comp Design, Generative and AI design capabilities delivering 25-75% reductions in design labor hours and significant reductions in capital costs and embodied carbon on major enterprise programs • Directed investment in design automation, computational design, advanced data environments, and AI governance frameworks • Built specialized delivery teams adding up to 12% additional scope per engagement while improving win rates and profit marginsOrganizational Transformation: • Forged strategic partnerships with technology providers • Established change management processes and adoption metrics tracking ROI, ensuring technology investments deliver measurable business value • Standardized platforms, frameworks, and workflows globally, enabling effective workshare across regions and engineering centersDriving measurable enterprise outcomes through strategic technology vision, innovation leadership, and relentless focus on delivering business value to both AECOM and water utility clients worldwide.
EDUCATION
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Executive Program, Artificial Intelligence
Perry Technical Institute
Technical Degree, Instrument and Controls
SKILLS
ABOUT MICHAEL KARL
VP, Global Digital Water Leader | SWAN Americas Chairman | Scaling AI & Digital Transformation Across the Water IndustryI\'ve spent 25+ years at the intersection of water technology and operations. My first decade built the foundation: digital technologist designing automation systems, licensed water system operator running them in the field, and water utility board member governing strategic decisions. That foundation shaped the next 15+ years leading digital transformation at global engineering firms, working with the most sophisticated water utilities in the US and internationally. I understand what works in the control room, in the boardroom, and in the C-suite.As AECOM\'s VP, Global Digital Leader for Water, I lead digital and AI transformation across 750+ digital water professionals worldwide. I\'ve built specialized delivery teams that reduce project costs, increase win rates, and add up to 12% additional scope per engagement. I established the Global Water AI Council to govern AI deployment both internally and for clients, ensuring these aren\'t just pilots, but scalable solutions delivering measurable business value. We\'re seeing reductions in capital costs and embodied carbon, 25-75% reductions in design labor hours, and design cycles compressed from months to days.Earlier in my career at Brown and Caldwell and CH2M HILL, I built digital practices from the ground up, scaling automation services from $2M to over $30M annually and consistently delivering 25% year-over-year growth. I learned that sustainable growth comes from solving real operational challenges and proving ROI, not just selling technology.What drives me is seeing AI and digital technology stop being side conversations and become core to how utilities operate and serve their communities. As SWAN Americas Chairman, I\'m advancing that mission across the industry, leading development of the first Digital Twin Readiness Guide and representing the industry\'s voice on digital twins, AI-powered analytics, and data-as-a-service.I completed MIT\'s Executive Program in Artificial Intelligence because I believe AI will reshape water management in the next decade. I grew up on a 70-acre farm in Eastern Washington, which instilled a work ethic grounded in solving practical problems, not chasing buzzwords.In short: I help water utilities, engineering firms, and technology companies move from talking about digital transformation to actually delivering it with teams, strategies, technologies, and results that scale.
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