Francisco has 30 years’ experience in the water sector. He is an expert in water treatment technology, EPC, O&M and PBC contracts, public procurement and utilities management. Francisco participated in complex bidding procedures for public water markets in Brazil, China, Angola, Perú, Ireland and Mozambique.

He worked 17 years for Degrémont (currently Veolia, former Suez) a technologic water treatment company for EPC contracts, where he started his career as Coordinator Engineer and then held successive positions with increased levels of responsibility as Proposals’ Coordinator, Services Director and Commercial Director.

He then became, Edifer’s – a construction company – Business Development Director for environment, health, energy and tourism, establishing partnerships and alliances with private and public entities, conducting market analysis and business intelligence, valuating firms, developing proposals for PPP and negotiating contracts.

In 2009, he was appointed CEO of Sisaqua, SA - the Portuguese leader company in Operation & Maintenance and Engineering contracts for water and wastewater treatments plants, making the company the leading firm in Portugal in O&M contracts. Under his leadership, Sisaqua’s engineering teams developed several projects and studies in Portugal, Brazil, Eastern Europe, Algeria and Angola, having direct responsibility for developing engineering and performance-based contracts in Brazil between 2011 and 2015.

In 2017 Francisco founded Baccher, SA, a Business and Technology consultancy firm, where he advised private and public water authorities to re-organize and improve operational efficiency using new technologies and implementing strategies and solutions to capture gains on the water / sludge / energy nexus, and establish new business models of private/public collaboration. He also advised on reforming public utilities, designing and implementing its strategic plans, increase its operations’ efficiency and reduce non-revenue water using performance-based contracts.

Between 2019 and 2021 Francisco worked as COO of Hydropower for Aquila Capital, managing its portfolio of hydropower plants in Portugal, coordinating daily business operations, to maximize energy production at the lowest possible cost, implementing operational strategies, establishing KPIs to monitor performance, redefine plans and procedures, implement the OPEX and CAPEX plans, supervise Operation & Maintenance, negotiate contracts and evaluate the performance of service providers, prepare CAPEX procurement procedures, and ensure ESG best practices.

Francisco joined Defining Future Options as Partner in 2021.

He has Portuguese as native language and is proficient in English, French and Spanish.