Tom Soo nominated new IWRA Executive Director

IWRA underwent significant changes since the 2010-2012 Executive Board started its mandate. The Executive Office moved to Montpellier in France in April 2010 under a new operational model with full time professional staff.

Tom Soo is the new Executive Director since the move.
Significant changes over the last year has included (but not limited to!):
•    Engagement of full time dedicated staff at the Executive Office to ensure smooth daily operations;
•    Establishment of a solid and responsive operational centre in Montpellier, France;
•    Reinforcement of IWRA  participation with major water organisations: such as becoming a partner of UN Water, and continuing our role as one of the sole scientific organisations on   the Board of Governors of the World Water Council;
•    Dynamic efforts to participate in global water management processes: World Water Day, Shanghai World Expo, UN Thematic Priority Area on Water Quality, Rio+20 etc…;
•    Engaging a globally recognised accounting firm, KPMG to ensure financial transparency and sound management;
•    A revamped website with automated acknowledgements, invoicing, member profile spaces and many other services;


 Current and future IWRA activities are ramping up .  In particular :
•    XIVth IWRA World Water Congress will be held in Porto de Galinhas, Brazil from 25-29 September 2011 (www.worldwatercongress.com);
•    Organisation of special sessions at the upcoming Singapore Water Week and Stockholm World Water Week;
•    Preparations of the upcoming 6th World Water Forum where we are the leading coordinator of two major targets;
•    Engagement with national and geographic committees;
•    Increase to the publication of 7 issues in 2011 of our official journal, Water International with a series of special issues about:
                o    "Post-conflict Peace building and Water Management" (with the Environmental Law Institute and the University of Tokyo)
                o    "Water, Food and Poverty in River Basins" (with the CGIAR)
                o    "The economics of wastewater reuse in agriculture" (with the IWMI)
                o    "The Regulation, Management, and Protection of Transboundary Ground Water Resources" (with the International Water Law Project); and 
                o    "Fulfilling the African Water Vision 2025: Progress, Obstacles and Opportunities" (with the African Ministers’ Council on Water, UN Water/Africa and the Environmental Law Institute);
•    And also much more!

IWRA encourage you to visit its new website (www.iwra.org) for more information and  to contact the Executive Office at any time if you have any queries or would like to provide any comments, feedback or suggestions.