About

Managing and developing an internal team of 12 legal and compliance professionals at SUEZ México, is Hector Izzo, general counsel and compliance officer. He is joined by León Velasco legal manager; Maria del Rosario Santaella, lead legal counsel for concessions; and Carlos Antuñano, lead legal counsel for public private partnerships. The team is currently working with NSC Water and NuWater on the US$540m public-private endeavour, the long-anticipated Rosarito project, which is scheduled to start construction in 2019 and begin output in 2022. SUEZ is involved in not only its design and construction; it will participate in the plant’s operation for 37 years. Izzo highlights that, ‘being involved in this massive project has allowed me to flex my legal skills: I and my team are involved with the negotiation and closing of all its main agreements and contracts’. The Rosarito Project consists of the design, construction, and operation of a desalination plant with a production capacity of 2,200 litres per second or 50 million gallons per day in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California; the largest in the Americas and the third in the world. The team also worked on the acquisition from Grupo Bursatil Mexicano, of the 50% of its participation in Tecnología y Servicios del Agua (TECSA); TECSA is the holder of a concession for the collection and maintenance of Mexico City’s water system. Additionally the team has worked on the upgrade of the National Waters Concession Title, held by the private-public-partnership company (paramunicipal), Aguas de Saltillo, in which SUEZ participates with a 45% share. Izzo adds that, ‘SUEZ sets itself apart by focusing on new opportunities and experiences, by taking on projects that others might see as too complicated or unnecessary, in a nutshell, it comes down to differentiation, thought leadership, and expertise’.