Paul Buijs holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology. He is active in water since 1990, in roles varying from research to consultancy and from sales to management. Paul has extensive experience in conventional water treatment, including desalination pretreatment and brackish and seawater reverse osmosis systems. From early 2018 to end of 2021, he was Center Liaison Officer for the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC)in Saudi Arabia, where he set up industrial scale translational research, working together with both governmental and private stakeholders. In 2022, he founded FirstWater Consultancy FZ-LLC (1st:water), based in Ras Al Khaimah (UAE). 1st:water focusses on innovation acceleration, validation and valorization, water treatment design and optimization, and strategic partnership development.