Published on IDRA Global Connections Fall 2018 Issue

Since its founding 45 years ago, the International Desalination has been known for the experience, expertise and strength of its membership, which comprises a veritable “Who’s Who” of the global desalination and water reuse industry – a remarkable repository of knowledge and perspectives that constitutes aninvaluable asset to the community it serves.

With that in mind, the Board of Directors of the International Desalination and Reuse Association has established an Honorary Council with a mission to leverage knowledge, experience and volunteerism to strengthen advocacy for desalination and advanced water treatment solutions, and has named eight distinguished members of the global desalination and water reuse community to the Council for the 2017-2019 term:

Dr. Jim Birkett: Dr. Birkett’s admirable career includes more than 50 years’ experience in the study of desalination, advanced water treatment,
and membrane separation industries and technologies with Arthur D. Little and West Neck Strategies. He is a Past President and Director
of IDRA, recipient of IDRA Lifetime Achievement Award, and former editor of “The IDRA Journal on Desalination and Water Reuse”.

Eng. Ghassan Ejjeh: Past President and Director of the IDRA, and great advocate of its activities, especially in water reuse. He is highly
regarded as a business leader, responsible for the expansion of BESIX activities into Water and Concessions. His career included serving as Senior Vice President of BESIX, Director of Six Construct UAE, BESIX SANOTEC SA, Ajman Private Sewage Company, as well as Safi water. He is member of Technical Working Group- Nuclear Desalination in the IAEA Vienna, and Vice Chairman of the Arab, Belgian, Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. David Furukawa: Past President and Director of IDRA, Dr. Furukawa is a highly respected member of the global desalination community for
more than 50 years. Dr. Furukawa was formerly Head of Desalination Research at the Bureau of Reclamation, Manager of Research at Havens
International / Calgon-Havens / UOP Fluid Systems; Vice President – Marketing for FilmTec Corporation/ Dow Chemical Corporation;  independent consultant; and Chief Scientific Officer for the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination – Australia.

Dr. Emilio Gabbrielli: Past IDRA President and the current Comptroller of IDRA, Dr. Gabbrielli is Director, Overseas Business Development, Global Sales Water Treatment for Toray. His internationally renowned career includes serving as Managing Director of Thames Water do Brazil and Executive Secretary of the Global Water Partnership, an international network of institutions. Dr. Gabbrielli is also a Global Ambassador of the Australian Water Association.

Eng. Mutaz Ghandour: A past Director of IDRA, Eng. Ghandour is known for his strong leadership, business acumen and longevity as Chairman
and CEO of Metito Holdings Ltd. Mr. Ghandour also serves as Goodwill Ambassador to The UN Intergovernmental Institution for Combating
Malnutrition. He is also a Permanent International Observer to The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Dr. Masura Kurihara: Dr. Kurihara is widely recognized for his great contributions in the fields of desalination and water reuse. He is Senior
Scientific Director of “Mega-ton Water System”, Funding Program for World Leading Innovation R&D on Science & Technology, Japan, and a Fellow of Toray Industries, Inc. A former IDRA Director, he is the recipient of the IDRA Lifetime Achievement Award and has also been honored with two Presidential Awards from IDRA.

H.E. Fouad Makhzoumi: Past President and Director of IDRA, H.E. Makhzoumi founded Future Pipe Industries in 1984 and has served as its
Executive Chairman since 2003. As a Member of Parliament in the Lebanese Government, he is actively promoting change in governance and
democracy. A prominent figure across business and political circles, his key accomplishments include, being appointed a Commander of the
Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy, acting as Vice Chairman of the Institute for Social and Economic Policy in the Middle East at the John
F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and co-chairing the Executive Committee of the International Board of the U.S. / Middle East Project. In 2016, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the Lebanese American University. In addition to his business leadership and success, in 1997 he founded the Makhzoumi Foundation, which contributes vocational training, health care and micro-credit programs working on all 17 SDGs for the Lebanese civil society development and empowerment.

Eng. José Antonio Medina: Engineer Medina served the IDRA as President and a Director of the Association. He is from Spain and has also
served as the President of AEDyR. He has been a desalination engineer since 1995 and a wellknown desalination lecturer in the Universities of
Madrid, Alicante, Mexico, and Cuyo. Eng. Medina is well known for his technical expertise and leadership. One of the Council’s first roles will be participation in the planning and presentation of IDRA’s upcoming Water Leaders Summit, which will take place at the IDRA World Congress in Dubai.

“Among IDRA’s great strengths are the commitment of its membership to serve the Association and the depth of their industry experience and knowledge. The IDRA Honorary Council is a recognition of notable individuals who have devoted their time to the Association and who have distinguished themselves in the field of desalination and advanced water treatment solutions. They bring an extraordinary level of longstanding insight of the global industry. Through the support of the Honorary Council members, who will act as ambassadors for the Association, IDRA will intensify the engagement solutions to growing water scarcity challenges,” said Shannon McCarthy, IDRA Secretary General.