Biography
Diane d’Arras, Executive VP Water Europe, Suez Water Europe
Diane d’Arras graduated from the “École des Ponts ParisTech”, and the Paris “Institut des Sciences Politiques”, and began her career in 1977 in a French Public Water Authority (Seine Normandie).
In 1981, she joined the French Water Company, Lyonnaise des Eaux. After a first operational experience in the Western Parisian Region (population: 1 million) she had the opportunity to join Aguas Argentinas in Buenos Aires in May 1993 and became Operations Manager (Network and Customers management, 7 million inhabitants, 2.5 million clients served, 2,000 employees).
In 1998, she became Technology and Research Senior Vice-President at Degrémont and then, joining the Comex of Suez Environnement, she was in charge of Technology, Research and Innovation at group level. She implemented a broader Innovation strategy for through new tools and an investment found. She also developed the concrete and day-to-day technical support to Suez Environnement operations. She was at the start of the implementation of the “urbannotic” solutions of the group, in particular the smart metering technologies.
Diane d’Arras was appointed Water Western Europe Senior Executive V.P. in January 2011. She is in charge of strategy and partnerships in Europe in the water field. She is independent board member of ACEA, a listed multiutility company in Italy distributing water and electricity, in particular in Rome.
Scientific community:
Actual:
International Water Association: Vice-President of the International Water Association, she has been elected to be the next President in October 2016.
She is member of the French Technology Academy since 2014.
Past experience:
1st President of European Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform, an association focused on Research gathering members from more than 20 countries.
Member of the Advisory Group on Environment for the 7th Framework Program of the European Research Directorate.
President during 6 years of the Environmental Strategic Committee of the French Standards National Agency.
Member during several years of the Environmental Advisory Committee of Singapore Research Agency.