Mario Milanesi

International Team Leader and Chief Technical Adviser with over 20 years of experience leading large-scale water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and integrated rural development programmes across Africa and Asia. Currently heading the €31M Sustainable WASH for All (SUSWA) programme in Nepal, funded by Finland and the EU, where I manage multidisciplinary teams and government counterparts to deliver sustainable WASH governance, climate-resilient infrastructure, and gender- and disability-inclusive services. Specialized in project cycle management, policy dialogue, and institutional capacity building, with a proven ability to translate complex donor frameworks (EU, World Bank, MFA Finland, AICS) into effective field implementation. Skilled in establishing governance mechanisms such as WASH Units, Service Support Centres, and municipal WASH Funds, while ensuring financial accountability and strong cost-efficiency. Recognized expertise in Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), including development of climate-resilient water supply systems, springshed management, bioengineering, and integration of disaster preparedness in WASH planning. Extensive experience in fragile and hazard-prone contexts (Nepal, Chad, Senegal, Tanzania), supporting governments and communities to embed resilience, risk mapping, and contingency planning into service delivery. Technically strong in water master planning, sanitation market development, faecal sludge management, behavioural change strategies, and application of digital tools for remote monitoring and data-driven decision-making. Experienced in multiple-use water services (MUS), sustainability assessments, and life-cycle cost analysis. Multilingual (English, French, Italian, Spanish) and active member of international professional networks (IWA, SuSanA, RWSN), I bring a combination of strategic leadership, technical depth, and cross-cultural negotiation skills, with a consistent record of delivering results and building sustainable institutions in partnership with governments, donors, and communities.