ACCIONA has appointed Manuel Manjón Vilda as the new CEO of its Water Division, succeeding José Díaz-Caneja. Manjón, an accomplished professional with a background in Industrial Engineering from the Higher School of Industrial Engineers of Bilbao and an MBA from ESEUNE and EOI, brings over 28 years of experience in the sector to his new role. Since joining ACCIONA in 1999, he has held various key responsabilities in the Water Business, including the management of international projects, Business Development Direction, and most recently, the Global Direction of the EPC area of Water.

ACCIONA’s Water Business
ACCIONA’s water division focuses on innovation, advanced technology, and operational quality, managing water treatment, purification, reuse, desalination, and comprehensive water management. In 2022, the revenue of this division increased by 21%, reaching 1.272 billion euros, with an EBITDA of 89 million. The Middle East market was the main contributor, representing 51% of the revenues. It is noteworthy that a significant portion of these revenues comes from long-term Operation and Maintenance contracts and water concessions.

In the same year, ACCIONA treated a considerable volume of water in countries with water stress, focusing on seawater desalination in regions such as Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Qatar, and the UAE, and on potabilization and purification in Egypt. The company also develops water treatment solutions to make it potable and suitable for consumption, aiming to provide safe access to water to more than 41 million people globally.

In 2023, ACCIONA has achieved notable business awards. These include the operation and maintenance of infrastructure such as the Laguna Lake water treatment plant in the Philippines, a purifier in Seville, and the Gafo River sanitation system. In addition, it has undertaken construction projects such as the purifier in Almoradí, Alicante, and the new facility in Ermidas do Sado, Portugal. A significant achievement has been the award of the contract for the construction, management, and maintenance of the mega desalinator in Casablanca, in consortium with Moroccan companies. This plant, with a capacity of 548,000 cubic meters per day and an investment of 800 million euros, will be the largest desalinator in Africa and will meet the potable water needs of a region with almost seven million inhabitants.

Source: Smart Water Magazine.