Dr Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy has over 30 years of experience in advancing sustainable water and environmental management. Since 2017, he has served as Executive Director of the International Water Association (IWA), leading a global network of water professionals spanning more than 140 countries. Under his leadership, IWA has prioritized key issues such as digital water solutions, climate resilience, and equitable sanitation, fostering innovation and collaboration across the water sector.

Kalanithy’s career includes senior leadership roles at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), where he served as Deputy Director General, and at the University of South Florida, where he was Dean of the Patel College of Global Sustainability and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He was also Chair and Professor of Water Engineering at the University of Birmingham and Professor of Sustainable Urban Water Management at UNESCO-IHE and TU Delft.

Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and an Honorary Professor at Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, China, and the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (UK) and a Chartered Engineer.

An active voice in the water sector, Kalanithy has contributed widely through publications and keynote addresses at global conferences. His work has been recognized with prestigious awards and honorary memberships from leading water associations.

Through his work, Kalanithy remains committed to addressing global water challenges and supporting sustainable solutions for the future.