Grundfos has appointed Inês Breda as senior director, head of sustainability. The move places Breda, who has spent nearly seven years at the Danish pump and water-technology company, in charge of its sustainability agenda.
Background at Grundfos
Breda most recently served as senior manager of global partnerships and alliances, where she worked on strategic collaborations and sustainability initiatives across the water sector. Before that she was a product and process manager in filtration technology, contributing to product development, pilot testing and the advancement of water treatment technologies.
A career across the water sector
Breda has been active in the wider water industry through the International Water Association (IWA), where she serves on the strategic council and previously contributed to the Young Water Professionals Steering Committee. Earlier in her career she worked as an expert on water scarcity in Southern Europe with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), and completed an Industrial PhD with Danish utility Skanderborg Forsyningsvirksomhed, focusing on improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of drinking-water treatment plants. She also worked as a research assistant at VIA University College.
Why the role matters
Sustainability has become a central concern for water-technology manufacturers and utilities alike, as the sector faces pressure to cut the energy and carbon associated with moving and treating water while adapting to growing water scarcity. Pumping is one of the largest sources of electricity use in water systems, keeping energy efficiency and water treatment technology high on the agenda. Grundfos, headquartered in Bjerringbro, Denmark, is one of the world’s largest pump manufacturers.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Inês Breda?
She is Grundfos’s newly appointed senior director, head of sustainability, with a background spanning water treatment technology, research and global partnerships.
What was her previous role at Grundfos?
She most recently served as senior manager of global partnerships and alliances, and before that as a product and process manager in filtration technology.
What is her background in water?
She holds an Industrial PhD focused on drinking-water treatment plant efficiency, has worked on water scarcity in Southern Europe with the EIT, and serves on the International Water Association’s strategic council.
What is Grundfos?
Grundfos is a Danish company and one of the world’s largest pump manufacturers, supplying pumps and water technology for utilities, industry and buildings.
