Key skills and expertise

With 19 years of experience in sustainable water and environmental management, the expert is a seasoned environmental engineer. Bringing strong skills in project development, management, and strategic planning, the expert has dedicated 12 years to international development cooperation in Africa and South-East Asia. Career highlights include leading multi-stakeholder projects, supervising teams, and developing innovative sanitation technologies. The expert initiated the open-source platform www.sswm.info, which serves 30,000 users weekly, and has extensive experience in capacity building and knowledge transfer. Leadership roles have included leading the capacity development working group for the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA).

Project experience and donor exposure

Working across diverse projects, the expert has collaborated with international donors such as the European Union, Swiss Agency of Development and Cooperation (SDC), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). Responsibilities have included project initiation, management, coordination, execution, and evaluation in sustainable sanitation and water management. The projects were regional and sector-specific, focusing on areas such as infrastructure and capacity building. Geographic locations for this work include Europe, Africa, and South-East Asia, with specific countries like Burkina Faso, Zambia, Uganda, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, and the Philippines.

Sectors and geographic focus

The expert has worked across key sectors such as environment and natural resource management, pollution and waste management, civil engineering, water and sanitation, and institutional development and capacity building. Previously held roles have involved project management, strategic planning, and research. The expert's interdisciplinary expertise includes integrating innovative sanitation technologies into urban planning. Their work spans Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America, involving complex multi-stakeholder projects and capacity development initiatives, emphasizing sustainability and transdisciplinary approaches. The expert has developed a deep familiarity with local governance and cultural dynamics through long-term assignments and international development cooperation projects.

Languages and education

With a background in multilingual environments, the expert is a native German speaker with excellent proficiency in English and French (C2 level), and good proficiency in Spanish (B1 level). These language skills have been utilized in leading complex, multilingual projects with stakeholders across Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. The expert's ability to communicate effectively in these languages has been essential in international development cooperation, facilitating workshops, and managing multi-stakeholder initiatives. The expert holds a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a focus on pollution management, industrial ecology, and environmental technology. They are also pursuing a PhD at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETHZ) in Switzerland, concentrating on methods for urban sanitation planning. Additionally, they completed a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Development and Cooperation at ETHZ's NADEL Centre. Their education includes a two-week intensive training in water and sanitation engineering at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.