Director of Consultancy for Europe, Africa and Latin America

UK

Professor Blanca Antizar serves as the Director of Consultancy for Europe, Africa and Latin America at Isle Utilities, a global leader in technology and innovation within the water sector. Additionally, she holds the esteemed position of Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor in Environmental Security and Resilience at University College London, where she inspires the next generation of environmental leaders. With over two decades of experience, her dedication to sustainable and responsible solutions in the water and related sectors underscores her pivotal role in shaping a better future for our planet.

Blanca’s expertise lies in pioneering new technologies within the context of water security and resource recovery. As an innovation catalyst, she collaborates closely with technology pioneers, end-users, and investors, effectively bridging the gap between groundbreaking research and real-world impact. Her extensive project portfolio includes significant initiatives such as the World Bank’s Utility of the Future program and several multistakeholder EC-funded projects. Blanca’s insights, supported by over 100 peer-reviewed papers and technical reports, resonate across both academia and industry. In November 2023, Blanca’s publication record was recognised in Elsevier’s prestigious 2022 World’s Top 2% of Highly Cited Scientists for her contributions to Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Security and Resilience. Her remarkable achievements have earned her numerous national and international accolades, including the 2022 iAgua award as ‘Woman of the Year’ in the water sector, a testament too her role in positioning Isle as a leading consulting firm in technology and innovation. Since 2017, she has also been an Elected Member of AcademiaNet – the Global Expert Database for Outstanding Female Academics.

Blanca is Fellow of the International Water Association (FIWA), Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA). She contributes her expertise as a member of the Industrial Advisory Board for the School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow and the Strategic Council for the International Water Association. Additionally, she co-founded and co-chaired the Water Security Working Group for Water Europe. Frequently invited to speak at high-profile events, Blanca was invited panellist in March 2023 at the ‘Sustainable and inclusive infrastructure and regional integration’ session during the Interamerican Development Bank Group’s Annual Assembly in Panama, and at the ‘Water and Productive Development’ session organised by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in Costa Rica, in preparation for the 10th World Water Forum in Indonesia in May 2024. As a visionary force, Blanca exemplifies excellence, innovation, and resilience in advancing water security and environmental stewardship.

Qualifications

PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Israel Institute of Technology;
MSc in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Coventry University;
BSc (Hons) in Environmental Chemistry, Coventry University
BEng (Hons) in Industrial Chemical, Universidad de Cantabria