Get to know our Experts

Electrical engineer with more than 20 years’ experience in instrumentation, SCADA, smart water systems, performance and optimization, digital tools, information systems, equipment tendering, control and technical solutions for drinking water, wastewater, process water and sludge treatment for both public and private sectors. Has experience in more than 20 countries including many in Asia.

Douglas is a coastal engineer and climate adaptation specialist with over 30 years of experience across the Pacific and the UK. He has led resilience planning, hazard assessments, and infrastructure design in more than a dozen island nations, working with partners such as National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, the Asian Development Bank, and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Douglas is known for translating complex climate and hazard data into practical, community-driven solutions that advance sustainable development in vulnerable regions

Civil engineer more than 25 years’ experience specialized in water planning, water security, water system management, smart water systems and associated technologies, with a focus on hydrology, water resources, flood risk and smart water systems. Main capability includes application of digital technologies to the water sector and risk reduction schemes using nature-inspired solutions. He is familiar with the technicalities of climate adaptation in the water sector, and positive about the role of new technologies in averting climate disasters. Experience in more than 30 countries

In 1972, Mr. Van Beek graduated cum laude at the Delft University of Technology in Civil Engineering. He joined Delft Hydraulics (now Deltares) in 1976. During the 45+ years of his career, Prof. Van Beek has carried out many water resources development projects, ranging from projects with emphasis on long-term planning to real-time operation. He is co-author of the textbook on water resources  management “Water Resource Systems Planning and Management – An Introduction to Methods, Models, and Applications” with Professor Pete Loucks. In 1992, Mr. van Beek was appointed part-time (30%) professor in Modelling in Water Resources Management at the Delft University of Technology, a position he kept till 2004. From 2007 till 2017 he held a similar position (also 30 %) at University of Twente. He teaches also at IHE-DELFT. From 2012 till 2018 Prof. Van Beek was member of the Technical Committee of GWP.

Fabio is an environmental chemist with more than 30 years of experience in sustainable water management and ecological infrastructure. As Technical Director at IRIDRA, he has co-authored and managed more than 500 designs of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment and reuse across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. His work focuses on integrating multi-stage wetlands into urban and rural planning for wastewater treatment, climate adaptation, and circular water systems. A Fellow of the International Water Association, Fabio has led EU-funded research and demonstration projects that advance low-cost, high-impact approaches to water resilience and pollution control through natural processes.

Educated in Austria, Netherlands and USA I cover a wide range of water related topics. During the past 40+ years I have worked literally on most aspects of the water cycle, from rainfall all the way to groundwater on quantitative and qualitative aspects. Examples of projects implemented include: revitalisation of wetlands and river branches within a national park; cleaning up major groundwater contaminations; restoring lake water quality; major flood protection and mitigation projects; complex groundwater management during subway construction; hydropower development; photovoltaic installation for irrigation; small-scale water supplies and decentralized sanitation. My work has typically involved cross-cutting issues within teams covering geology, chemistry, ecology and limnology, as well as the development of innovative approaches and solutions. Over the past 15 years, DRM and Climate Change Adaptation have been the main focus of all water related projects I carried out.

Ferdinand is a senior specialist with an M. Sc. in applied mathematics and a Ph. D. in hydrology, both from Delft University of Technology. He is an expert in the field of flood risk analysis and management with over 20 years of work experience. His key qualifications are: probabilistic modeling, statistics, hydrology and integrated risk assessment. He has carried out numerous hydrological and risk assessments for a variety of inland and coastal water systems and published various papers on these topics. He has substantial teaching experience and is capable of explaining complex topics to audiences with diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Simons is an expert in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and water resources management, with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing climate-resilient strategies across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. As Managing Director at FutureWater, he spearheads projects that integrate hydrological modeling, remote sensing, and GIS to inform ecosystem-based adaptation and watershed investment programs. His work bridges science and policy—developing tools, training modules, and decision frameworks that help governments and development partners transition from reactive to proactive climate and drought resilience. Gijs holds a PhD in hydrology and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and technical reports on NbS, climate risk, and water reuse.

Gopalakhrisna, a geologist by profession, specializes in hazard risk and vulnerability assessment in South Asia. He has worked in different ecosystems ranging from cold deserts to per-humid regions. Recently, he published “Road to Resilience” a book providing menu of technologies for improving resilience at household and neighborhood levels. The book “Synergy for Sustainable Cities” explores multi-stakeholder led options to build urban resilience, which is based on Cultural theory. The latest Book ”Towards Resilient Kolkata” provides a list of practical interventions across scales (building to city) and sectors (water, energy, waste management and mobility).

Water and sanitation engineer and project manager with more than 20 years’ of experience working at the intersection of technology deployment and water management. Has 10 years’ experience in operations in water utilities. A technology expert in the fields of smart cities, digital innovation and emerging tech for global technology consulting firms. Expertise includes water resources management, smart water strategy, data analysis, customer care, NRW reduction, utility digitalization, digital information strategies, design of computerized asset management systems, digital maturity assessment of water operators and capacity building.