PhD, MEng, MSc, FIEAust, CPEng, NER, APEC Engineer, IntPE (Aus), RPEQ

Manuel has 25 years of hands-on experience across 355 dam projects in more than 20 countries. His expertise spans dam construction, design, rehabilitation, and operation; portfolio and detailed risk assessment; dam surveillance and monitoring at hydropower, water and tailings dams.

Currently serving as Senior Technical Director at GHD, Manuel combines his consultancy work with an academic and capacity-building focus. Since 2004, he has taught graduate and postgraduate programs at several universities, including subjects on hydraulic works, geotechnical engineering, dam safety, and risk assessment. He contributed to the SPANCOLD/Universidad Politécnica de Madrid international master’s program on dam safety and operation and regularly lectures at training and capacity building events for dam owners and practitioners in Africa, Europe, South America, Central America and Asia.

Manuel is a part-time professor at Universidad Europea (Spain), a member of IIAMA (Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering) at the Universitat Politècnica de València, and an Evaluator for the Spanish State Research Agency. He has led and participated in numerous R&D projects on dam safety and risk assessment.

He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a Chartered Engineer in both Australia and Spain, and within ICOLD, he served as Chair of the Technical Committee on Dam Surveillance (Committee Q) until June 2025 and continues as a member of both Committee Q and Committee Z on Capacity Building.

At the ANCOLD Forum 2025, Manuel will share insights from his global experience and reflect on strategies to empower the next generation of dam engineers through structured training, international collaboration, and institutional support.