News | March 9, 2012

Fantastic Feast Of Speakers At Global Water Summit, Rome

The largest gathering this year of top water executives from the public and private sectors is poised to assemble in Rome at the end of April.

Speakers and delegates from over 45 countries have already committed to attend the Global Water Summit (30 April and 1 May, Cavalieri Hotel), presented by Global Water Intelligence (GWI)*and the International Desalination Association (IDA).

Attending companies and the full 2-day schedule, including speakers and sessions, can be found at www.watermeetsmoney.com.

The Summit, renowned for bringing together the major water leaders from both the private and public sectors and for providing the crucible for high-level debate within the industry, asks what the future holds for the water industry across the world. The focus is on new strategies and innovations, sharing the successes and inspirational achievements taking place in spite of continuing global financial pressures and political turmoil.

Keynote speakers include:

Ida Auken - Minister for the Environment, Denmark - Conference Welcoming Address
Denmark leads the world in its approach to sustainability in water and wastewater planning, but to pay for such progressive policies it also charges the highest rates for water and wastewater on the planet. Can Denmark be a model of sustainability for the future?

John Lipsky - Former Managing Director, The International Monetary Fund
The crisis in public finances is the biggest issue facing the global water sector today. 90% of water infrastructure is financed by public authorities, and many of them are being dragged down by growing debts and stagnant revenues. John Lipsky was at the helm of the global financial system last summer when the crisis first struck. He gives his view of what happened and how the crisis will be resolved.

Dr Mihir Shah - Head of Water Resources, Rural Development and Decentralised Governance, The Planning Commission, Government of India
Dr Shah has been tasked by India's Prime Minister with developing a new national strategy for sustainable water resource management for India. This strategy represents a paradigm shift in the management of water resources on the sub-continent. Dr Shah outlines his vision for the future of water provision and use for India's 1.2 billion inhabitants.

Ali Ibrahim - Deputy Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Libya
The Arab Spring of 2011 represents the biggest geopolitical change since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Ali Ibrahim gives a first-hand account of what happened, and how it will change the way water is managed in Libya.

A double helping of GWI's 'Round-Tables' includes:

  • Takashi Hongo, Senior Fellow, Mitsui Global Strategic Studies Institute, "Development Finance in Asia."
  • Afonso Lobato de Faria,President, Aguas de Portugal - "An Overview of the Portuguese Water Sector."
  • Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Libya - "The Future of Water in Libya."
  • Messaoud Terra, Director of Drinking Water, Water Ministry, Algeria - "New Water Initiatives in Algeria."
  • Rossana Brantes Abarca, Public Policy and Environment Issues Analyst, The Chilean Copper Commission (COCHILCO) "Water and Mining in Chile."
  • Gerald Razafinjato, CEO Sandandrano, Madagascar - "Entrepreneurship and Water in Madagascar."
  • Eduardo Ismodes Cascon, Chairman, SEDAPAL, Peru - "Desalination and PPPs in Peru."
  • Dr Shahnawaz Sinha, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, KAUST Saudi Arabia - "New Directions in Desalination Research"
  • Taqsem Khan, CEO Dhaka WASA - "Water and Wastewater Challenges in Bangladesh."
  • Sayed Hasnain, Deputy Managing Director, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board - "Water and Wastewater Challenges in Pakistan."
  • Sue Murphy, CEO, Water Corporation, Australia, - "Securing Australia's Water Future."
  • Michael Deane, Executive Director, NAWC - "Is it Finally Time for Private Capital in the U.S.?"
  • Rafiq Husseini, Deputy Secretary General, Union for the Mediterranean - "The Union for the Mediterranean and the International Water Sector."
  • HE Mohammed Al-Mahrouqi, Chairman, Oman Public Authority of Electricity and Water - "Water in Oman." (tbc)
  • Shayo Holloway, Group Managing Director, Lagos State Water Corporation - "The Water Supply Challenge in a Developing Mega-City."
  • Guy Horowitz, Chairman, The Smart Water Networks Forum - "Smart Networks in Developing Countries."
  • Dr Latif Rashid, Senior Advisor to the Iraqi President, Former Minister of Water Resources, Iraq - "The Future of Water in Iraq."
  • Ashot Baghdasaryan, Senior Financial Economist, COWI - "Kazakhstan's PPP Program."
  • Michael Schneyderman, CEO, Rosvodokanal - "The Water Market in Russia."
  • Sahachai Hengtrakool, Managing Director, Thai Tap - "The Outlook for Private Water in Thailand."
  • His Highness Shaikh Nawaf Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CEO of the Electricity and Water Authority Bahrain - "Water in Bahrain." (tbc)
  • Katja Hansen, Senior Researcher and Cradle to Cradle Chair, Erasmus University - "An Introduction to Cradle to Cradle."
  • Dr Vasile Ciomos, President, The Romanian Water Association - "Merger and Corporatization of Utilities in the Romanian Water Sector."
  • Dave Penrice, CEO, Aqua Capital Management - "The Water Rights Market."
  • Dale Bishop, President and CEO, Hydra Renewable Resources - "Wastewater as a Resource."
  • Walt Schultz, CEO, Hydration Technology Innovations (HTI) LLC - "New Applications for Forward Osmosis in the Oil and Gas Market."
  • Performance Contracts: the future of PPP?
  • McKinsey & Co - "New Directions in Utility Management."
  • The Water Sector in Qatar
  • Opportunities in the Irish Water Sector
  • The EU Water Framework Directive
  • Sophie TrĂ©molet, TrĂ©molet Consulting - "Models for Private Finance in Urban Sanitation in Developing Countries."
  • Steve Maxwell, TechKNOWLEDGEy Strategic Group, "Merger and Aquisition Trends in Water."
  • Wan Yusheng, Director of Water Resources Committee, Ministry of Water Resources, China - "Unconventional Water Resouces in China." (tbc)
  • Robin Simpson- "The Benefits of Full Cost-Recovery Water Pricing."
  • Ramon Alikpala, Chairman, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Philippines - "Opportunities for International Investors in the Philippines Water Sector."
  • Walter Mazzitti- "The Privatisation of the Italian Water Market." (tbc)
  • The Future of Private Ownership in Water and Wastewater in Kuwait
  • Abu Dhabi's Future Water Needs
  • Joppe Cramwinckel, Director, Water, The World Business Council for Sustainable Development - "Measuring Risk in Industrial Water."
  • Khoo Teng Chye, Executive Director of the Centre for Liveable Cities - "Lessons in Urban Sustainability from Singapore." K-Water - "Where next for water in Korea?"
  • Leow Peen Fong, Executive Director, Economic and Social Regulatory Department, National Water Services Commission of Malaysia (SPAN) - "Water Sector Reforms in Malaysia."
  • Robert Dove, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group, "Private Equity Investment in Regulated Water Assets." (tbc)
  • Alan Thomson, Managing Director, ADSSC - "Wastewater Treatment in Abu Dhabi."
  • HE Loay Al Musallam, CEO National Water Company, Saudi Arabia - "Next Steps for the NWC."
  • Dobromir Simidchiev, Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Bulgaria - "Private Investment in Bulgaria's Water Sector."
  • Julia Bucknall, Water Anchor, The World Bank - "World Bank and IFC initiatives in Water."
  • Dr. Abdullah Al Alshaikh, Deputy Governor for Planning and Development, SWCC, Saudi Arabia - "The Latest Developments at SWCC."
  • John Ringham, CEO, South Australia Water and Max Borchardt, GWI Australia Editor - "A Brave New World for Water in Australia."
  • Henryk Brzuchacz, CEO, Warsaw Municipal Water and Sewerage, "The Polish Water Sector." (tbc)
  • Further topics TBC

Further details at: www.watermeetsmoney.com. A limited number of press passes are available. Contact: rn@globalwaterintel.com

*Global Water Intelligence (GWI) researches and publishes business data and information about the water markets worldwide. Head-quartered in Oxford, UK it also has offices in Singapore and USA (Austin, Texas) and has researchers and office staff in many other countries.

It publishes three subscription titles and a free weekly GWI Briefing email (www.globalwaterintel.com/accounts/mailinglist/) and around six individual reports per year on particular water sectors/geographic regions. It also organises two major financial conferences for the water industry each year: the American Water Summit in Autumn and the Global Water Summit in Europe in Spring (Rome 2012).

SOURCE: Global Water Intelligence