We are FCC Nº26

Aqualia’s growth in Colombia is signi- ficant, today we are in 30 municipali - ties where, in addition to providing the public water and sewerage service, we generate local employment, and with it, progress for these small mu- nicipalities. How do you see the future of the company and what strategies are being implemented to achieve long-term goals? I see Aqualia as the number one end- to-end water cycle operator in Co- lombia. The strategy is simply to do things well and thus improve the living conditions of the population served in the municipalities we manage. It is not an easy task, as it depends not only on our work, but also on external agents ranging from investment to po- litical will, it is a day-to-day job. In order to grow, we must be able to see opportunities in the midst of cha- llenges, and for this, the image we project and, of course, our human team, which has not only experience but also the conviction of the impor- tance of the services we provide, is fundamental. The people who work at Aqualia have a strong commitment to respecting others, in our DNA is to ensure the welfare of the community, in Aqualia we all add up. How did you get to your current position and what were the big- gest challenges along the way? I have been working in the water sector for more than 20 years, I have held various positions, I would say I have done the whole course, from lawyer in the commercial area where I learned how a micro-me- ter works to General Management. Throughout my professional career I have had the opportunity to learn, to be able to take risks and make de- cisions that have allowed me to be where I am today. Visiting municipa- lities, getting to know cultures and understanding how each one works is a challenge. To be able to reach these places and people you have to understand their way of thinking, to know their needs, and Colombia is a very special country where the- re are many cultures, each one di- fferent from the other. The biggest challenge has been to keep the team motivated, in the face of the difficulties of each operation, to im - prove the management results throu- ghout 2022 was a great challenge. What obstacles did you encounter along the way? As a woman it has not been an easy road, some time ago the roles were labelled for “men” and for “women”, there was no equality between res- ponsibilities and salaries, but this has been changing and today I can say that I only find the natural obs - tacles to this work, the community that needs a service, the political campaigns, I do not feel resistance for being a woman. What advice would you give to a young woman looking to pursue a career in your field? For me, professional success is passion for what you do, I am pas- sionate about public service, rea- ching the most remote communi- ties, where there is no water and sometimes not even public roads, that fills me with satisfaction. This is a sector that has gradually opened its doors to women, before it was almost impossible to see women working in this field, today there are a large number of us who break the limitations that ancestrally have been placed on our gender. My advice, be constant, fight for your dreams and never give up. How do you balance your personal and professional life, especially in a leadership role? Fortunately, my family has unders- tood that my passion is public ser- vice, that I enjoy it and it makes Aqualia Colombia team. P E O P L E 36 P E O P L E