Speakers

Work History:

Alejandro Sturniolo began his professional journey at Unitek Argentina in 1998 as a chemical engineering intern. During this time, he held the role of Project Manager and was also responsible for after-sales service, gaining valuable fieldwork experience.

By the age of 28, having risen to the position of Applications Engineer, Alejandro acquired a 50% stake in the company, becoming a major partner. He was later appointed as the Director of Business Development for South America. As the company expanded, 70% of Unitek was acquired by RWL Water, an enterprise of Ronald Lauder, one of the founders of the Estée Lauder Company. This collaboration subsequently gave rise to Fluence Corporation, where Alejandro sold his remaining stake in Unitek and took on the role of Vice President of Marketing and Sales until July 2020. From 2021 to 2023, Alejandro worked at H2O Innovation, first as the Global Head of Water Reuse and Strategic Partnerships and later as the Vice President of Marketing and Sustainability.

Alejandro is currently a member of the Water Positive Think Tank and Director at the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA). He previously served as Vice President of IDRA and held leadership positions at the Latin American Desalination and Reuse Association (ALADyR) and the Argentine Desalination and Water Reuse Association (ADRA). His expertise is demonstrated through over 30 international publications.

Education:

• Chemical Engineer, National University of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Postgraduate in Marketing from Belgrano University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Postgraduate in Negotiation and Leadership, FASTA University, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
• Business Sustainability Strategy, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
• Neuroscience for Business at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Vision Statement:

I began my career in the water sector in 1998, viewing the world as a Chemical Engineer. Over time, I realized that unlocking this market required understanding beyond technologies and connecting water with the environment, as water is the driving force behind all 17 SDGs. In this way, I could not only solve problems but also anticipate them. By anticipating, we increase our chances of ensuring that no one is left behind. We talk about knowledge all day, but that’s not enough; we must combine it with experience, communication, and action.

It is my greatest desire to be part of the change, to connect water with the needs of present and future generations. We have detailed data on water needs, but we simply repeat it as if the problems would resolve themselves. That is my job, that is the path I chose for my professional career. Water is my passion and my motto is: “Sharing apocalyptic forecasts is easy, anticipating them is the great challenge.” If we can purify a glass of water from seawater with less energy than an internet search, no one should be thirsty. That’s why I choose the challenge.