Using global connections and local roots for better water knowledge

For any company, having global connections to support projects is one thing, but having local roots is another. The combination of the two can be pivotal for ongoing success.

To create meaningful impact, it is essential for global organisations like SUEZ to combine international expertise with local knowledge. In Australia, SUEZ has teams on the ground with a deep understanding of the local landscape, challenges, and communities. By leveraging these insights alongside global perspectives, the organisation is able to develop more tailored and effective solutions that align with the unique needs of the regions it serves, fostering more sustainable and impactful outcomes.

This is why SUEZ takes the approach of Global Connections – Local Roots. It’s an opportunity to build that global expertise while incorporating country and site-specific cultural knowledge that can be transferred and translated worldwide.

People like Delia Pastorelli, Emmanuel Charbit and Paddy Atkinson are part of the enormous SUEZ ecosystem that has travelled to another country to support local business needs.

Pastorelli is the Water Technical Director at SUEZ Australia and New Zealand. She is Italian and spent considerable time in France before recently relocating to Australia.

“Australia is a unique water market, given that it is an island nation,” she said. “Being an island has a huge impact on climate change. It impacts not just the water industry but also the energy industry. This is very exciting to me because we can deploy a lot of innovation and the synergies between the different aspects of the water industry.”

Similarly, Emmanuel Charbit has a French cultural background but spent time in Australia as part of his education. He is the Head of Engineering and Construction for SUEZ Australia and New Zealand.

“After studying at Ecole Polytechnique, I completed my Masters in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney),” he said. “I spent about seven years here before returning to SUEZ Head Office in France and only arriving back in Australia in August 2024.”

Paddy Atkinson has been a member of the SUEZ community for over 18 years. He’s been able to work in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Atkinson has worked in the water industry for over 35 years. His career started designing electrical control systems, and he was involved in the industry’s transition from relay logic to PLC control. With an attitude of always saying yes to opportunities, he has grown his knowledge and experience, moving from Design-Build project management into Operations.

Global influence

Bringing in experts from overseas is part of the thinking when supporting its projects worldwide. These experts have specific knowledge that can be adapted to increase the impact of successful projects. The teams they work in also benefit from the knowledge, thereby developing local knowledge bases.

“I think my technical knowledge around water treatment is one of the important reasons for me relocating to Australia,” Pastorelli said. “I also focus on having a creative approach that provides alternative solutions. Taking that 360-degree vision to desalination and drinking water ensures the teams find unique solutions that satisfy our partners.”

Charbit believes his people management skills have been critical to his success, particularly in Australia.

“Here at SUEZ, we are growing our team rapidly,” said Charbit. “We are growing capabilities, so part of my job as the Head of Engineering and Construction is expanding the team. It’s all about defining our needs, finding the right individuals, bringing them in and making them part of the team. It’s part of the SUEZ culture.”

Finding Tashkent on a map was the first challenge Atkinson faced, ahead of a brief stint working on the Tashkent City Water Supply Project in Uzbekistan. Dubbed the “Tashkent Water Transformation Plan,” the seven-year contract is worth €142 million. In collaboration with Uzbek authorities, SUEZ aims to modernise the Uzbek capital’s water and wastewater services. Atkinson also wanted to improve the safety management of its water company, Tashkent Shahar SuvTaminoti (TSST), to align with international standards.

“We’re providing guidance and support to the Tashkent and Uzbek authorities for this project, as we are helping them develop their water and wastewater industry,” he said.

Local culture

After moving to Australia, Pastorelli and Charbit have found the water industry highly collaborative. They had not previously experienced the ways that Australian companies set up alliances and joint ventures.

“I’ve worked for SUEZ for a while, and relocating to Australia meant working on desalination, drinking water and wastewater,” Pastorelli said. “It’s key for me to get my knowledge into the business unit while working with our alliance partners. The thing that I have particularly noticed is the importance of communication. That is the driver of giving answers for our clients and the community.”

When it comes to the local community, Charbit found it interesting that Australians tend to be more aware of the development of the water industry than those in other countries.

“People in Australia are generally aware of the construction of a new water treatment plant being built in their region,” he said. “In France, people are less aware, but the interest and awareness in Australia is very different. I think it is because people are interested in hearing about water issues, given how dry it can be in Australia.”

Atkinson also highlighted how local safety standards can vary dramatically, underscoring the importance of integrating global best practices with local realities. In Uzbekistan, for instance, safety standards in construction and operations were not at the same level as those in Australia or France. After discussing these challenges with his French colleagues working in the region, they quickly agreed that improvements were essential.

“The safety standards in Uzbekistan are not at the same level that would be seen in Australia or France,” he said. “I’ve worked in operations for many years, so I have an excellent appreciation for how things should be done. I remember seeing people working on the eighth floor of a multi-storey building with no form of edge protection. We’d also see people sweeping the median barriers of freeways with a simple sign saying People Working. These practices also translated into the treatment plants, so awareness of safety issues needed to change.”

Why it worked

Atkinson highlighted the critical importance of having strong local support and fostering genuine connections with the community and employees. In one instance, after conducting a workshop, local staff invited the SUEZ team to a garden, offering fruit picked from trees around the treatment plants. This gesture not only made the team feel welcome but also reflected the deep relationships SUEZ builds at a local level.

These moments illustrate the broader benefit of blending global expertise with local insights. When international specialists, like Atkinson and Charbit, bring their global experience into play, it’s not just about transferring technical knowledge; it’s about adapting that expertise to local environments. This cultural sensitivity—whether in addressing safety standards or improving operational processes—ensures that solutions are not only technically sound but also aligned with local practices and expectations.

As Charbit pointed out, reconnecting with the Australian water industry after years abroad is an opportunity to expand his local network and leverage both his global experience and local understanding.

“I’m seeking to develop my network and have a wider connection with the Australian water industry,” said Charbit. “It will be an excellent way for me to get back into the Australian industry after years away.”

For more information, visit suez.com.au