Biography
Mathieu de Kervenoael has over 25 years of international business experience in the water sector, including long-term management of water & wastewater utility systems and services, as well as development of water & wastewater treatment infrastructure for industrial or municipal clients. He developed core competencies in business development, innovation, strategy, operational management and stakeholders management; and professional relationships not only related to water, but also solid waste, renewable energy, sustainable development and circular economy.
Mathieu contributes fairly rare experience in both services (operation & maintenance of assets) and infrastructure (design & construction of assets), including the digital component for each; and in both developed and emerging countries. For water experience in developing countries, his main experience is expanding water services into blighted areas with Maynilad Water, but also includes projects development in India, Vietnam, Southeast Europe (Romania and Bosnia), Morocco and South Africa.
Since 2016, Mathieu has been heading Strategic development & Marketing for SUEZ’ Treatment Infrastructure global business line; supporting regional business development, developing strategic relationships with global stakeholders and continuously adapting global strategy & innovation in water, wastewater, biosolids & solid waste Treatment Infrastructure solutions to market needs.
Previously, he fulfilled multiple assignments within SUEZ over the past 20 years.
From 2011, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Water Treatment Infra business line. Prior to that, he had worked for the Water business in France, managing the field operations of the Bordeaux Urban Community’s water & wastewater concession, then developing the renewable energy business line.
Earlier, from mid-1990s to mid-2000s he developed international water business, in Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa & USA, including a 3-year assignment in Manila and a 4-year assignment in New York, exposing himself to water challenges both in developed and emerging countries.
In his current duties, he manages relationships with several categories of global stakeholders, such as international financing institutions (IFIs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, consulting & engineering firms or global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms. Being an active member of the International Water Association (IWA), he has also actively participated to various recent professional events, such as the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW), the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, the Water Environment Federation’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC), the Global Water Summits, or the congresses of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA).
Even more since GE Water acquisition by SUEZ in 2017, he is exposed to water business stakes involving not only local authorities but also industries (oil & gas, power, mining, pulp & paper, food & beverage, …) and agriculture; he can activate collaboration between those categories of actors and catalyst transformational change towards a “water-wise world”.
Involved in IWA world congresses since 2010 in Montreal, he has been continuously involved in the development of the “Cities of the Future & “Basins of the Future” programs since 2016 world congress in Brisbane, including the endorsement by SUEZ and other stakeholders of the “IWA principle for water-wise cities”, the active participation in the dedicated forums at Tokyo world congress (“Basin-connected cities” forum, Utility leader summit, etc.). Also, in his current assignment at SUEZ, he coordinates involvement of SUEZ representatives in Specialist Groups and at major conferences (Leading Edge Technologies; Water & development; Water reuse; Biosolids; …)
