The water industry’s Leading experts
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Tom Freyberg
Founder and Director of Atlantean Media
Founder and Director of Atlantean Media Tom Freyberg Tom is an experienced environmental journalist and content creator specialising in water. In the summer of 2018, he launched Atlantean Media, a global digital content creation company serving the environmental engineering industries, specifically water. The company was born out of a need to bring engineering-based content to life through creative and engaging storytelling. After graduating from Exeter University with a BA (Hons) in English, he completed his journalism training with PMA in London.
Founder and Director of Atlantean Media Tom Freyberg Tom is an experienced environmental journalist and content creator specialising in water. In the summer of 2018, he launched Atlantean Media, a global digital content creation company serving the environmental engineering industries, specifically water. The company was born out of a need to bring engineering-based content to life through creative and engaging storytelling. After graduating from Exeter University with a BA (Hons) in English, he completed his journalism training with PMA in London.
Elisa Stefan
Environmental Engineer and Researcher. Water Resources Management Specialist
Elisa is MsC. in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and during the Environmental Engineering graduation has studied at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. She has been working the last 10 years with water resources related projects.
The most recent research is titled Water Reuse and Water Availability: A New Water Resources Management Approach, which considered the Water Security and Circular Economy concepts applied to this field. She is also founder of Deságue, a Brazilian podcast that relates water science, politics and society.
Elisa is MsC. in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and during the Environmental Engineering graduation has studied at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. She has been working the last 10 years with water resources related projects.
The most recent research is titled Water Reuse and Water Availability: A New Water Resources Management Approach, which considered the Water Security and Circular Economy concepts applied to this field. She is also founder of Deságue, a Brazilian podcast that relates water science, politics and society.
Newsha Ajami
Director of Urban Water Policy at Stanford University
Newsha is a leading expert in sustainable water resource management, smart cities, and the water-energy-food nexus, she uses data science principles to study the human and policy dimensions of urban water and hydrologic systems. Her research throughout the years has been interdisciplinary and impact focused. Over the years, she has held a number of academic, consultancy and public policy positions and currently serves a few non-profit boards. Dr. Ajami received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Irvine.
Newsha is a leading expert in sustainable water resource management, smart cities, and the water-energy-food nexus, she uses data science principles to study the human and policy dimensions of urban water and hydrologic systems. Her research throughout the years has been interdisciplinary and impact focused. Over the years, she has held a number of academic, consultancy and public policy positions and currently serves a few non-profit boards. Dr. Ajami received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Irvine.
Hassan Aboelnga
Vice Chair of the Middle East Water Forum and Researcher
Born and raised in Egypt, Middle East – the most water scarce region in the world- and witness at first-hand the significance for water security and climate resilience at fragile contexts, Hassan decided to pursue a career working to solve water security issues and sustainable development. He studied civil engineering and water resources management at various universities in Egypt, Jordan and Germany.
Hassan is a renowned emerging water resource management expert, with a particular interest in urban water security issues. He is PhD researcher at Technical University of Cologne (TH-Köln) in integrated water resources management and urban water security. He is the Vice Chairman of the Middle East Water Forum (MEWF) and an active member of many international networks in issues of water and climate.
Born and raised in Egypt, Middle East – the most water scarce region in the world- and witness at first-hand the significance for water security and climate resilience at fragile contexts, Hassan decided to pursue a career working to solve water security issues and sustainable development. He studied civil engineering and water resources management at various universities in Egypt, Jordan and Germany.
Hassan is a renowned emerging water resource management expert, with a particular interest in urban water security issues. He is PhD researcher at Technical University of Cologne (TH-Köln) in integrated water resources management and urban water security. He is the Vice Chairman of the Middle East Water Forum (MEWF) and an active member of many international networks in issues of water and climate.
Jeffrey Kightlinger
GM of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Since 2006, Jeffrey Kightlinger is general manager for The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Metropolitan is the largest municipal water provider in the US delivering an average of over 2 billion gallons of water a day to 19 million customers across Southern California.
Among other activities, he is a Governor’s appointee to California’s Bay Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Stakeholders Committee, a Board member on the California Climate Action Registry and a member of the UCLA Continuing Education Sustainability Advisory Board.
Since 2006, Jeffrey Kightlinger is general manager for The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Metropolitan is the largest municipal water provider in the US delivering an average of over 2 billion gallons of water a day to 19 million customers across Southern California.
Among other activities, he is a Governor’s appointee to California’s Bay Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Stakeholders Committee, a Board member on the California Climate Action Registry and a member of the UCLA Continuing Education Sustainability Advisory Board.
Enrique Cabrera
Senior Vice President of the International Water Association
Enrique has more than 20 years of experience in the field of hydraulics and urban water management. In addition to lectures and research, Professor Cabrera has ample experience as an advisor and a consultant in international projects. His topics of expertise include performance assessment and benchmarking, regulation of water services, infrastructure asset management, water and energy and digital water.
Enrique has more than 20 years of experience in the field of hydraulics and urban water management. In addition to lectures and research, Professor Cabrera has ample experience as an advisor and a consultant in international projects. His topics of expertise include performance assessment and benchmarking, regulation of water services, infrastructure asset management, water and energy and digital water.
William Sarni
Founder and CEO at Water Fundry
William has been a water strategy advisor to private and public-sector enterprises and NGOs for his entire career.
Internationally recognized thought leader on water strategy and innovation. He has authored numerous books and articles and presented on: the value of water, innovations in digital water technology, the circular economy, and the energy-water-food nexus.
William has been a water strategy advisor to private and public-sector enterprises and NGOs for his entire career.
Internationally recognized thought leader on water strategy and innovation. He has authored numerous books and articles and presented on: the value of water, innovations in digital water technology, the circular economy, and the energy-water-food nexus.
Dragan Savic
Vice Chair of the Middle East Water Forum and Researcher
Dragan held a number of academic, consultancy and project management positions in Canada and his native Serbia, before relocating to the United Kingdom.
His research interests cover the interdisciplinary field of Hydroinformatics, which transcends traditional boundaries of water/environmental sciences, informatics/computer science (including Artificial Intelligence, data mining and optimisation techniques) and environmental engineering.
Dragan held a number of academic, consultancy and project management positions in Canada and his native Serbia, before relocating to the United Kingdom.
His research interests cover the interdisciplinary field of Hydroinformatics, which transcends traditional boundaries of water/environmental sciences, informatics/computer science (including Artificial Intelligence, data mining and optimisation techniques) and environmental engineering.
Pilar Conejos
Head of Water Control at Global Omiun
Phd Industrial Engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the field of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management. Pilar is a Part Time Assistant Professor in the Hydraulic Engineering Department at the Universitat Politècnica de València. Pilar is also co-author of several articles and papers in congresses about digital twin and efficient management of water distribution networks.
Phd Industrial Engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the field of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management. Pilar is a Part Time Assistant Professor in the Hydraulic Engineering Department at the Universitat Politècnica de València. Pilar is also co-author of several articles and papers in congresses about digital twin and efficient management of water distribution networks.
Saša Tomič
Digital Water Lead at Burns & McDonnell
Saša is an award-winning architect of leading hydraulic modeling software, a trusted digital transformation adviser to water utilities and a recognized industry pioneer. He was the lead developer and patent author for Bentley’s GEMS platform and the product manager of Innovyze’s water distribution products.
Saša combines 30 years of experience in software development and data analytics in the water industry, leveraging his advanced degrees in civil engineering and computer science to help water utilities use digital twin solutions to become more efficient.
Saša is an award-winning architect of leading hydraulic modeling software, a trusted digital transformation adviser to water utilities and a recognized industry pioneer. He was the lead developer and patent author for Bentley’s GEMS platform and the product manager of Innovyze’s water distribution products.
Saša combines 30 years of experience in software development and data analytics in the water industry, leveraging his advanced degrees in civil engineering and computer science to help water utilities use digital twin solutions to become more efficient.
David Kilkullen
President and Ceo of Cordillera Applications Group
David advises world institutions, governments, businesses, NGOs and local communities across the globe. Foreign Policy named him as one of its Top 100 Global Thinkers in 2009.
Bestselling author; leading researcher in the field of unconventional and guerrilla warfare, and a former professional soldier and diplomat. He advises world institutions, governments, businesses, NGOs and local communities across the globe, while working on complex humanitarian and security challenges in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia.
David advises world institutions, governments, businesses, NGOs and local communities across the globe. Foreign Policy named him as one of its Top 100 Global Thinkers in 2009.
Bestselling author; leading researcher in the field of unconventional and guerrilla warfare, and a former professional soldier and diplomat. He advises world institutions, governments, businesses, NGOs and local communities across the globe, while working on complex humanitarian and security challenges in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia.
Gavin Van Tonder
Executive Director at NEOM
Gavin is a Direct communicator and long-term strategist. Committed to seeing a company, project, or vision through to its end. An ardent proponent of Blue Ocean Strategy and disruptive growth models. Fully committed to Sustainable development in the Water sector and, not protecting, but enhancing the environment from a water and wastewater perspective.
Recent focus on Full Seawater processing, including high recovery desalination and minerals and chemicals production (ZLD). Gavin has developed out the Strategy for a Greenfield Smart City from a Municipality perspective focused on all Water Utility operations.
Gavin is a Direct communicator and long-term strategist. Committed to seeing a company, project, or vision through to its end. An ardent proponent of Blue Ocean Strategy and disruptive growth models. Fully committed to Sustainable development in the Water sector and, not protecting, but enhancing the environment from a water and wastewater perspective.
Recent focus on Full Seawater processing, including high recovery desalination and minerals and chemicals production (ZLD). Gavin has developed out the Strategy for a Greenfield Smart City from a Municipality perspective focused on all Water Utility operations.
Paul Fleming
Fellow, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation
Paul is a leader in the public and private sectors in building strategies and programs to address the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of water, climate change, utility management, corporate stewardship and technology. He is currently a fellow of the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, a member of a US National Academy of Sciences Committee that is advising the US Global Change Research Program and a corporate advisor to established and early stage companies. Before leaving Microsoft, he created and directed the company’s global water program and established and led implementation of its commitment to be water positive by 2030.
Paul is a leader in the public and private sectors in building strategies and programs to address the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of water, climate change, utility management, corporate stewardship and technology. He is currently a fellow of the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, a member of a US National Academy of Sciences Committee that is advising the US Global Change Research Program and a corporate advisor to established and early stage companies. Before leaving Microsoft, he created and directed the company’s global water program and established and led implementation of its commitment to be water positive by 2030.
