The International Water Association has appointed Manila Water Philippine Ventures and Manila Water Asia Pacific president and chief executive Virgilio Rivera Jr. as a non-executive member of the IWA board of directors for the period of 2018 to 2020.
Rivera is the first Filipino to be appointed to the board of the 60-year old organization.
Rivera’s experience and achievements have earned him distinction as a valuable resource person in the water industry, particularly on topics concerning infrastructure privatization, regulatory economics and public-private partnership initiatives.
He authored a book called ‘Tap Secrets: The Manila Water Story, An Exercise in Successful Utility Reform in Urban Water Sector’ which was co-published by the Asian Development Bank in 2014.
Rivera was part of the core team that prepared the bid submission that won the Metro Manila East Zone franchise for the Ayala conglomerate, giving birth to Manila Water Company Inc.
IWA’s board has the overall responsibility for the corporate governance of the association, including its strategic direction, review of the plans established by the management team, monitoring of performance and the establishment and implementation of policies and internal controls.
In 2016, Rivera was also honored as an IWA fellow, a program that recognizes an individual’s sustained outstanding contribution to the water profession. He was the first Filipino to be included in the prestigious group out of then 190 IWA fellows worldwide.
As President of MWPV and MWAP, Rivera now leads Manila Water’s expansion efforts and provides the overall strategy for new business operations and new business development as the company expands its core business to new geographies in the Philippines, as well as to targeted markets in the Asian region such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar.
“As board member, I will advise IWA how to expand its membership and presence in Asia. I believe this appointment provides me an excellent opportunity to assess market trends, identify partnership opportunities, and develop new business opportunities, among others,” said Rivera.
IWA is the premier global association for water professionals. It has over 13,000 members with the mission of growing the water industry by disseminating best practices and diffusing knowledge and innovation among its members.
IWA members and staff are situated in 130 countries worldwide, forming the largest international network of water professionals working towards a water-wise world.
