Highlights of the Program
2 days business program:
Learn from real-world case studies by industry leaders.
SHOWCASING INNOVATION:
Discover the latest technology and techniques from across the industry.
leaders talk:
Hear from top-level experts about how to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry.
MULTIPLE STREAMS:
A business program that is multi-disciplinary, giving you a broad view of the industry.
SMART TECHNOLOGIES:
Explore the latest smart and AI-driven solutions, and see how they can be used in your business.
roundtable discussion:
Join talks with industry peers. Share ideas, make connections, and find new partners.
Program
Day 1 :
MONDAY, 21 September, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
REGISTRATION AND MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:10
RESERVED PRESENTATION
10:10 - 10:30
SPEED NETWORKING SESSION
- Exchange business cards and get connected in short one-to-one meetings
- Start the conversation to arrange a more formal meeting later on in the conference
- Share your professional background and discuss your biggest business issues - don't forget your business cards!
10:30 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:00 - 11:30
PANEL DISCUSSION ON DESALINATION & RESOURCE RECOVERY
11:30 - 11:55
DECARBONISING DESALINATION: THE TRANSITION FROM THERMAL TO MEMBRANE AND THE ROLE OF CLEAN ENERGY
Ahmed Yousry
Acwa
- Presenting a case study on the shift from thermal to membrane-based desalination technologies
- Highlighting the role of clean energy integration in large-scale desalination plants
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON CLEAN ENERGY PATHWAYS IN DESALINATION
12:00 - 13:30
NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING THE DESALINATION & RESOURCE RECOVERY EXHIBITION
13:30 - 13:55
MOBILE DESALINATION PLANTS WITH EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE OPERATING COSTS
Anton Borodastov
A&R.C.G.
- Applying Russian membrane elements to enhance performance in compact desalination units
- Automating process control using a built-in module for reverse osmosis system normalisation
- Equipping systems with solar panels for off-grid operation in remote or hard-to-reach areas
13:55 - 14:00
Q&A SESSION ON MOBILE SYSTEMS FOR COST-EFFECTIVE DESALINATION
14:00 - 14:25
DESIGNING FOR DIGITAL: WHY AI OPTIMISATION IS DECIDED AT THE DESIGN STAGE
Aslam Qureashi
Egis
- Diagnosing why AI and digital twins underdeliver in desalination due to design-stage sensor and data gaps
- Architecting a PMC coordination model from live NEOM delivery — aligning owners, contractors, and vendors before design is locked
- Recalibrating industry AI ambition against data quality reality with a design-stage digital readiness checklist
14:25 - 14:30
Q&A SESSION ON DESIGN-STAGE DIGITAL READINESS FOR DESALINATION PLANTS
14:30 - 15:00
AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
15:00 - 15:25
EXT-GENERATION NANOFILTRATION FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT DESALINATION: INTEGRATING ADVANCED MEMBRANES, AI, AND DIGITAL MONITORING
Carlos Gustavo Parrilla
ALJAZEN LIMITED
- Advancing nanofiltration pretreatment to reduce osmotic pressure and desalination energy demand
- Optimizing membrane performance using AI, digital monitoring, and predictive fouling models
- Enabling selective ion separation and mineral recovery to support circular water strategies
15:25 - 15:30
Q&A SESSION ON NEXT-GENERATION NANOFILTRATION FOR DESALINATION
15:30 - 15:55
PERSPECTIVES ON SEAWATER DESALINATION
David Stephenson
Independent Consultant
- Exploring seawater's advantages for desalination, including an unlimited supply and easy brine disposal
- Comparing energy demands and costs of RO membranes, solar evaporation, and distillation methods
- Evaluating scalable designs for medium-sized towns using heat recovery and hybrid solar systems
15:55 - 16:00
Q&A SESSION ON PRACTICAL CHALLENGES IN SEAWATER DESALINATION
16:00 - 16:25
NEXT-GENERATION MXENE PHOTOCATALYTIC MEMBRANES FOR DESALINATION AND RECOVERY
Fahad Mir
British International School in Kurdistan
- Fusing photocatalysis and filtration in MXene–TiO₂ membranes for clean water output
- Valorising brine and waste streams using photocatalytic membranes for resource recovery
- Connecting advanced membranes to renewable energy and smart monitoring for viable scale-up
16:25 - 16:30
Q&A SESSION ON MXENE PHOTOCATALYTIC MEMBRANES FOR SUSTAINABLE DESALINATION
16:30 - 17:30
NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION
Day 2 :
TUESDAY, 22 September, 2026
09:00 - 09:30
MORNING REFRESHMENTS
09:30 - 09:40
OPENING ADDRESS
09:40 - 10:05
DESALINATION AND RESOURCE RECOVERY
Rashid Alleem
Alleem Business Congress
- Highlighting the critical role of desalination in addressing water scarcity and building resilience
- Transforming waste brine streams into valuable minerals and energy through circular economy methods
- Emphasising collaborative approaches to advance sustainable practices in desalination operations
10:05 - 10:10
Q&A SESSION ON CIRCULAR ECONOMY STRATEGIES FOR DESALINATION
10:10 - 10:35
OPTIMISING RO PRE-TREATMENT: ADVANCED FILTRATION STRATEGIES & ROI BENEFITS
Oren Heymans
Entegris
- Selecting the correct filters for RO pre-treatment using advanced particle distribution analysis
- Optimising delta P to improve membrane protection while reducing energy and chemical usage
- Demonstrating ROI benefits through enhanced filtration strategies and operational efficiencies
10:35 - 10:40
Q&A SESSION ON ENHANCING FILTRATION EFFICIENCY AND ROI IN DESALINATION
10:40 - 11:05
BRINE CONCENTRATION AND RESOURCE RECOVERY VIA OARO, LSRO & ELECTRODIALYSIS
Lex Van Dijk
Colubris Cleantech
- Applying Osmotic Assisted RO, LSRO, and Electrodialysis to achieve high brine recovery in MLD/ZLD
- Demonstrating osmotic gradient enhancements via OARO for increased flux and reduced energy demand
- Exploring pilot-scale LSRO and ED performance for robust compliance and selective compound recovery
11:05 - 11:10
Q&A SESSION ON MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGIES FOR BRINE MANAGEMENT
11:10 - 11:30
MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA
11:30 - 11:55
OFFSHORE WATER DESALINATION
Arun Mathur
Commodity One DMCC
- Deploying renewable-powered offshore desalination buoys for island and oil & gas water supply
- Showcasing modular offshore units achieving 40% capex savings over conventional onshore systems
- Quantifying deployment outcomes from active installations across the UAE, California, and New Zealand
11:55 - 12:00
Q&A SESSION ON MODULAR OFFSHORE DESALINATION SOLUTIONS
12:00 - 12:25
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER AND DESALINATION GOVERNANCE
Christ Declercq
cBrain
- Facilitating integrated oversight of desalination projects and environmental impacts
- Leveraging AI to optimise decision-making in water-scarce and high-risk operational areas
- Building digital foundations to support resilient and future-proof water governance
12:25 - 12:30
Q&A SESSION ON DIGITAL STRATEGIES FOR WATER AND DESALINATION POLICY
12:30 - 12:55
EVALUATING FINANCIAL STRATEGIES AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODELS
Robert Bryniak
Golden Sands Management (Marketing) Consulting
- Tracing the development of public-private partnership models across the global water sector
- Addressing the importance of brine management as a growing focus for IWP
- Aligning financial strategies with current PPP trends to improve procurement outcomes
12:55 - 13:00
Q&A SESSION ON FINANCIAL STRATEGIES & MODERN PPP FRAMEWORKS
13:00 - 13:25
ADVANTAGES AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE MODELS FOR MULTIPURPOSE AND MULTI CLIENT DESALINATION IN CHILE AND PERÚ
Ignacio Rodriguez
DESALA
- Describing multipurpose desalination models serving mining, agriculture, and urban water needs
- Analysing economic efficiencies through scale, cost savings, and productivity-based tariffs
- Demonstrating how shared infrastructure supports social licence and public-private water delivery
13:25 - 13:30
Q&A SESSION ON MULTI-CLIENT MODELS & WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS
13:30 - 13:45
FEEDBACK & RAFFLE DRAW
13:45 - 15:00
NETWORKING LUNCH
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