Tuesday 9th May

Track filters:
Climate
Desal & Reuse
GWI Spotlights
Industrial
Saudi Showcase
Utility Futures
Day 0
17:30 - 18:30
Welcome Reception

All delegates are welcome to join the Welcome Reception on Monday 8th May, 17:30 – 18:30pm. Take this opportunity to grab your badge before the conference starts the next morning, and to network with other eager attendees. 

Day 1
07:00 - 08:45
Registration
07:15 - 08:45
One-to-One Networking Meetings

Your facility to book key appointments during the Global Water Summit

The Global Water Summit is the largest gathering of influential senior executives and water leaders, inviting an unrivalled group of project proponents, industrial end-users, utility leaders, financers, and technologists year after year.

Networking sessions are your chance to build the connections your business needs. As a registered delegate to the Summit, you'll build your professional profile, access accounts of those attending, and send requests for structured One-to-One appointments with your target delegates. No more missed opportunities. You arrange it all beforehand and we make it happen.

09:00 - 10:30
Opening Plenary: Creating a Climate for Growth

Climate change and economic growth are the two biggest challenges facing the world in 2023. It is the conceit of this year’s Global Water Summit that water holds the key to both. Investment in water technology and infrastructure is at the heart of our response to climate, while at the same time this investment opens the way to new directions for economic growth. Join leading thinkers in our inspirational opening session as they talk about the opportunities for our sector.

Moderator:

Keynote Speaker:

  • Christiana Figueres, Co-host of the podcast “Outrage & Optimism” and Former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Speakers:

  • Gunda RöstelChairwoman of the Board of German Water Partnership (GWP) and Deputy Chair of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE)
  • Christoph Donner, CEO, Berliner Wasserbetriebe
  • Sabrina Soussan, CEO, SUEZ
  • Johan Rockström, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research & Chair, Global Commission on the Economics of Water
  • Alejandro Jimenez, Strategy and Business Development Director, Acciona
10:30 - 11:15
Coffee Break
One-to-One Networking Meetings

Your facility to book key appointments during the Global Water Summit

The Global Water Summit is the largest gathering of influential senior executives and water leaders, inviting an unrivalled group of project proponents, industrial end-users, utility leaders, financers, and technologists year after year.

Networking sessions are your chance to build the connections your business needs. As a registered delegate to the Summit, you'll build your professional profile, access accounts of those attending, and send requests for structured One-to-One appointments with your target delegates. No more missed opportunities. You arrange it all beforehand and we make it happen.

11:15 - 12:45
Roundtables – 40 Crucial Questions for Water in 2023

Cut out the noise and get direct answers to the biggest questions the industry is facing in 2023, straight from the water leaders and influencers best positioned to answer them. 

The intense, fast moving roundtable sessions are consistently highly rated by our large constituency of returning delegates. Expert speakers lead tables of tightly focused discussions on what is new and trending in the international water industry. With 4 rotations, you'll get the chance to make up to 40 new contacts in this session alone. 


1. Choose a topic and join the table
2. Meet the host and table guests
3. Participate in an intimate, face-to-face exchange of ideas
4. After 4 table rotations, you’ll leave the session with a new set of contacts, a meeting set up for later that day and a step towards your next deal.

Roundtables:
Climate
What are Mekorot’s investment plans for 2023 in light of ESG targets?

Riki Mor, Customer Relations and Corporate Responsibility Manager, Mekorot

Climate
Beyond Net Zero - Where is the opportunity for water-tech in dealing with our new climate reality?

John Robinson, Partner, Mazarine Ventures

Climate
How have Gruppo Hera tackle climate change with digital innovation?

Federico Daonti, Manager of Water Technological Innovation, Gruppo Hera & Umberto Querze, Manager of Aqueduct Systems, Gruppo Hera

Climate
How can City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation deliver climate resilience in Manila?

Patrick Ty, Chief Regulator, MWSS Regulatory Office, Manila

Climate
How might atmospheric water flows transform transboundary water management?

Johan Rockstrom, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Technology
Could river basin digital twins be the answer to water security challenges?

Jan Kwiatkowski, Vice President, Water Authorities, DHI Group

Technology
How can the biorefinery transform sludge disposal from a burden to an opportunity?

Ross Wilson, Bioresources Process Specialist, Infrastructure Atkins & Peter Vale, Carbon and Circular Economy Architect, Severn Trent

Technology
How can innovative treatment technologies rise to meet industrial wastewater treatment challenges?

Alex Rappaport, CEO, ZwitterCo

Technology
How can sustainable solutions meet the evolving wastewater treatment needs of small agglomerations?

Zouhayr Arbib, Head of Sustainability Area, Aqualia

Technology
Have Californian utilities reached the stage of true automation?

John Hanula, Senior Vice President, Innovation, Stantec

Technology
How do we uncover water quality data in real time for efficient wastewater treatment?

Liviu Mantescu, CEO, Watergenics GmbH & Boris Greifeneder, Managing Director, German Water Partnership

Finance
Can Texas finish its $80bn state water plan before running dry?

Jeff Walker, Executive Director, Texas Water Development Board

Finance
How can we make ‘blue finance’ work for the water sector?

Margot D\'Ancona-Roesink, Head Sustainable Capital Markets, Rabobank

Finance
How can growth stage private equity accelerate SDG6?

Kapil Kanugo, Private Equity and Fund Development Manager, Incofin

Finance
Unlocking Opportunities in Saudi Water Transmission Projects

Khalid Al Habib, Chief of Strategy and Investment, WTTCO

Finance
How can DFIs help de-risk project development?

Victoria Delmon, Manager, IFC

Finance
M&A trends and profitability in the water sector – where is the money moving?

Geoff Gage, Managing Partner, Amane Advisors

Industrial
How will ESG targets drive innovation within industrial facilities?

Slava Libman, CEO, FTD Solutions Inc.

Industrial
How does Codelco's ambitious water strategy translate into opportunities for the water sector?

Mariana Concha, Head of Water Stewardship, Codelco

Industrial
How is PDO using innovative water technologies to transform oilfield produced water into a key resource for Oman?

Saada Al-Shukaili, Head of Water Management, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)

Industrial
How can industry go beyond ROI to drive water optimisation efforts to new heights?

Aditee Dabholkar,Ultrapure Water/Wastewater Subject Matter Expert, Texas Instruments

Industrial
Can industrial water user - tech provider collaborations generate cutting-edge solutions?

Alejandro Muñoz, Civil Hydraulic Engineer, CMPC

Industrial
The 2030 Danone Impact Journey: What opportunities does the roadmap create for the water sector?

Marta Ceadel, Water and Sustainability Consultant, Danone

Utility
How will Air Selangor meet a water demand increase from 5 to 9 million (m3/d) in 30 years?

Abas Abdullah, Acting CEO, Air Selangor

Utility
Can innovative treatment solutions rid aquifers of PFAS?

John Kmiec, Director, Tucson Water

Utility
What opportunities are there in Thailand's huge WWTP build out? 

Chayawee Wangcharoenrung, Director of Domestic Wastewater, Pollution Control Department Thailand

Utility
How can utilities leverage proven global knowledge to avoid reinventing the wheel?

Booky Oren, Chairman & CEO, Booky Oren Global Water Technologies

Utility
What is South Asia's biggest utility spending the next billion on?

Taqsem Khan, CEO, Dhaka WASA

Utility
Can IBNET's new benchmarking tool help compare utility performance and management practices?

Monika Weber-Fahr, Senior Advisor, Results & Partnerships, World Bank

Desal & Reuse
What's the progress of 18 planned seawater desalination projects in China with over 100,000 m3/d capacity?

Ruan Guoling, Director, The Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization, Ministry of Natural Resources of China

Desal & Reuse
How will Malaysia recycle 1.5 million m3/d of its sewage by 2030?

Narendran Maniam, CEO, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK)

Desal & Reuse
Is lower energy seawater desalination worth it?

Rick Stover, CTO, Gradiant Corporation

Desal & Reuse
What's next for the Caribbean and Latin American Desalination markets?

Juan Miguel Pinto, Director of Sales and Strategy, Energy Recovery

Desal & Reuse
What's next for direct potable reuse?

Michael Toh, Director, Industry and Technology Collaboration, PUB

Desal & Reuse
What's needed to drive water resue projects in Chile?

Felipe Aravena, CEO, Ecopreneur & Fernando Velasquez, Development Manager, ECONSSA

Desal & Reuse
How do we take ERDs to the next level?
Desal & Reuse
What's next for Sanepar's innovative projects?

Claudio Stabile, CEO, Sanepar

Desal & Reuse
What innovation is the world largest desalter look for?

Tariq Al Ghafari, President of DTRI, SWCC

Desal & Reuse
How can a 10 million dollar prize fund encourage innovation in desalination?

Corrado PanzeriHead of InnoTech Hub, Ambrosetti & Alessandro Vivani, Project Leader, Ambrosetti

12:45 - 14:00
Lunch
One-to-One Networking Meetings

Your facility to book key appointments during the Global Water Summit

The Global Water Summit is the largest gathering of influential senior executives and water leaders, inviting an unrivalled group of project proponents, industrial end-users, utility leaders, financers, and technologists year after year.

Networking sessions are your chance to build the connections your business needs. As a registered delegate to the Summit, you'll build your professional profile, access accounts of those attending, and send requests for structured One-to-One appointments with your target delegates. No more missed opportunities. You arrange it all beforehand and we make it happen.

14:00 - 15:30
Climate
Sanitation has a Methane Problem: Can climate finance solve it?

Methane represents two thirds of the sector's short-term emissions, the bulk of which comes from onsite sanitation. This finding has the potential to unlock new carbon mitigation finance for developing countries, but how? This is the big question for donors, policy makers and utilities from around the world. Can the answer be found during this year’s Summit? We're bringing them together in Berlin to find out. 

Moderator

  • Martin Gambrill, Visiting Professor & Independent Consultant, The University of Newcastle / The University of Leeds

Speakers:

  • Ella Lazarte, Water Finance and Private Sector Engagement Lead, USAID
  • Dr Barbara Evans, Professor of Public Health, Leeds University 
  • Sasha Kramer, Co-Founder and Executive Director, SOIL
  • Prof. V. Srinivas Chary, Professor and Director, Administrative Staff College of India
  • Philip Hermann, International Business Group Director, Manila Water
  • George Butler, Principal Water & Sanitation Specialist, IFC
  • Thomas Van Gilst, Head of the Water Security and Resilience Division, EIB
Desal & Reuse
Water Technology Idol

What are the big ideas that have the potential to change the face of desalination and water reuse? Picking winners at an early stage is extremely difficult but Tech Idol has a remarkable success rate. We bring together five of the hottest ideas in desalination and water reuse and pitch them against each other in front of our judging panel. Which game changer will be crowned Tech Idol in 2023?

Judges:

Speakers:

 

GWI Spotlights
Water Opportunities for the Energy Transition

A staggering 2 million m3/d of water will be required by 2030 to fuel global green hydrogen goals. How can a reliable water supply be secured? Soaring global demand for critical materials is also driving technology development to accelerate recovery rates of metals such as lithium. As decarbonisation ambitions contend with the challenges of water scarcity, join experts to discuss potential synergies and assess how the water industry can ensure the reality of the energy transition.

Moderator:

Speakers:

Industrial
The New Agenda for Water

How should water define investment strategy? Financial institutions understand zero carbon, but they don’t have the same clarity in the transition to a water secure future. And they want it. What message should corporate water users be giving investors to help them understand the link between better management of water risks and shareholder value?

Moderator:

Speakers:

  • Klaus Kunz, VP - Head of ESG / External Engagement and Performance Reporting, Bayer
  • Lydia Whyatt, Managing Director, Resonance Management LLP 
  • David Henderson, Managing Partner, XPV Water Partners
  • Ariane Coulombe, Associate Director Corporate Relations, CDP
  • Francis McAllister, Vice-President - Land, Water & Liability Management, Freeport McMoRan
  • Sophie Tremolet, Europe Freshwater, Director The Nature Conservancy
  • Elisabeth Goos, EMEA Leader - Sustainability Services, IBM
Saudi Showcase
Saudi Water Investment Showcase

The key government agencies in the Saudi water sector present their strategies and plans and explain what they expect from international partners. 

Moderator: 

Speakers:

View all Saudi Water Sessions

Utility Futures
LUOW Inauguration: What do the best do differently?

65 Gold Standard utilities have already been inaugurated into the LUOW Network. Glimpse the future of utility operations, joining both old and new members as they share their outstanding achievements, and discover what this global network of cutting-edge providers plan to do differently over the next 5 years.

Moderators:

  • John Ringham, Chair, Leading Utilities of the World
  • Howard Neukrug, Co-Chair, Leading Utilities of the World

Speakers:

15:30 - 16:00
Coffee Break
One-to-One Networking Meetings

Your facility to book key appointments during the Global Water Summit

The Global Water Summit is the largest gathering of influential senior executives and water leaders, inviting an unrivalled group of project proponents, industrial end-users, utility leaders, financers, and technologists year after year.

Networking sessions are your chance to build the connections your business needs. As a registered delegate to the Summit, you'll build your professional profile, access accounts of those attending, and send requests for structured One-to-One appointments with your target delegates. No more missed opportunities. You arrange it all beforehand and we make it happen.

16:00 - 17:30
Climate
Carbon in Procurement

To truly reach net zero carbon emissions, utilities need a complete rethink in the way they invest in their infrastructure, and both utilities and suppliers need to get to grips with scope 3. It's an urgent priority: as the impact of infrastructure is long term, the sooner utilities can make procurement carbon-conscious the bigger the positive impact will be. How can utilities build the manufacturing, construction and lifecycle carbon footprint of their investment into their procurement decisions? How can the supply chain support them to achieve low carbon within budget?

Moderator:

  • Amanda Lake, Head of Carbon and the Circular Economy, Jacobs

Speakers:

Desal & Reuse
New Rules for Desalination Finance

The market for desalination is growing beyond the GCC, and development finance institutions are playing a bigger role in financing new capacity. They are taking a much more activist approach to ensuring that plants represent the best value for money for the end users. Here we bring together some of the leading DFIs and desalination off-takers to agree the new rules for desalination, laying the foundations for future growth.

Moderator:

Speakers:

GWI Spotlights
Project Spotlight: Egypt and the Saline Water Conversion Company (SWCC)

16:00 - 16:45: Project Showcase - Egypt

Egypt aims to award deals over the next year to build 21 water desalination plants. It is the first $3 billion phase in one of the world's most ambitious desalination programs. Hear from Egyptian financing institutions and others involved in implementing the program as they outline their projects and update the Summit on their status. What is Egypt looking for from the international water community?

Moderator:

  • Javier Sierra, Egypt Country Manager, Aqualia

Speakers: 

  • Karim Badr, Chief Executive Officer of the Utilities & Infrastructure Subfund, The Sovereign Fund of Egypt
  • Nicola Saporiti, Water Lead, Transaction and PPP Advisory, IFC

16:45 - 17:30: SWCC Project Spotlight

SWCC is changing its procurement strategy opening out opportunities for new partners. This is a must-attend session for those involved in the desalination and transmission supply chain.

Moderator:

Speakers include:

  • Sharekh Al Sharekh, Deputy Governor Technical Affairs and Projects, Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC)
  • Mohammed Al Ghamdi, Executive Manager, Business Manager, Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC)
  • Ahmed Aldwimr, Director, Production Projects Eastern Region, Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC)
Industrial
Resilience Through Water Circularity

Beauty & Personal Care manufacturers are facing multiple operational challenges in a progressively water-stressed world. Onsite water circularity offers a route to resilience in a changing climate, yet many obstacles stand in the way of widespread adoption. A pioneering group of multinational manufacturers have joined forces to illuminate the industry’s path towards water reuse and recycling.

Moderator:

Speakers:

 

Saudi Showcase
National Water Company Partnerships Roadshow

With $47 billion to invest across the water cycle from water treatment to sludge management, the National Water Company (NWC), Saudi Arabia, is looking for dynamic partners who can deliver innovation at scale.

Moderator:

Speakers:

View all Saudi Water Sessions

Utility Futures
10 Utility Game Changers

What are the big ideas that will shape the future of the utility sector? Here we present 10 of the best from across the world. Some are organisational, some are technological, some redefine the responsibilities of utilities, but all of them are customer led and set to reshape the dynamics of water providers around the world. 

Moderator:

  • Antoine Walter, Senior Business Development Manager Wastewater Treatment, GF Piping Systems

Speakers:

19:00 - 23:00
Global Water Awards Gala Dinner

Each year, the coveted Global Water Awards are presented at the Global Water Summit. In 2023, we will be celebrating excellence across the international water industry, announcing our 2023 winners at the Estrel Convention Center, Berlin.

Each person attending the Summit will be invited to the Awards Ceremony and Dinner, and all those who registered before the early bird deadline can make their voice heard, voting on companies in each category. It's a celebration of all that is best about the water industry and we can't wait to invite you to it. 

View the full 2023 Global Water Awards Shortlist here. Voting is closing on April 20th at 21:00 BST.

The Global Water Summit is the premiere event of the international water industry, inviting 850+ senior executives year after year. 

BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY