Hydropower Sustainability Secretariat

Chief Executive Officer

Eddie Rich became Chief Executive Officer of the IHA Sustainability in September 2019.

Eddie has worked on the role of corporates in international development for over 20 years.

He was deputy head of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) since the international secretariat was established in 2007, including a period as its executive director. His responsibilities included leading on EITI implementation globally and overseeing the organisation’s finance, human resources and communications functions, as well as the organisation of its triennial global conference.

His prior experience included working as the UK Government Department for International Development (DFID)’s representative to Angola and deputy head in Kenya, and as head of DFID's corporate social responsibility team.

He has degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of Westminster.

Head of Sustainability

João joined IHA Sustainability in October 2017. His work focuses on developing and implementing the Hydropower Sustainability Standard and Tools which provide guidance to the hydropower sector, as well as a means for assessing a project’s performance. João takes a leading role in delivering training and managing capacity-building projects to drive sustainable hydropower development worldwide.

He has previously worked as a civil engineer on numerous international projects, including hydropower and other infrastructure schemes in Portugal, UK and the Middle East.

João holds an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Civil Engineering from Instituto Superior Tecnico in Lisbon.

Senior Sustainability Specialist

After leading independent research on impact assessments in southeast Asia, Alain joined the Hydropower Sustainability team in March 2019 to address global sustainability issues in the hydropower sector. He led the development and launch of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard which provides a practical framework to assess and certify the sustainability performance of hydropower projects. He now acts as the technical lead for the programme and manages our numerous capacity building projects in our partner countries.

His work focuses on implementing the standard across the globe, supporting governments to embed it into their regulations, working with private sector to apply it on their projects and partnering with NGOs/civil society to make sure it continues raising the sustainability bar for industry.

He has experience working as an environmental scientist on multiple international projects, including analysing the environmental and social impacts of mining on agricultural communities in Thailand as a Fulbright Scholar and developing regional nutrient reduction strategies in the Mississippi River Basin with the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Alain holds an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge and a BA in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sustainability Specialist

Amina joined IHA Sustainability in March 2020. Her work focuses on managing the Hydropower Sustainability Training Academy by delivering trainings and developing new courses. She also supports in coordinating numerous capacity building projects to drive sustainable hydropower development worldwide.

She has experience conducting research on hydropower modernisation, green financing mechanisms, climate policies and disaster risk reduction measures. Prior to joining IHA Sustainability, she managed knowledge sharing on energy efficiency and climate change financing at the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, supported business development for the Center for Forests and People (RECOFTC) and conducted research at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. She has worked in Germany, Hungary, Thailand and the United Kingdom. She is fluent in Russian and Slovak.

Amina holds an MPhil in Environmental Policy from the University of Cambridge and BSc in Environmental Geography and Climate Change from the University of East Anglia.

Sustainability Programme Officer

Amira joined IHA Sustainability in November 2021, where she manages the databases of the HS Standard and supports the planning and delivery of capacity building and HS Training Academy programmes.

Prior to joining IHA Sustainability, Amira acted as an Administrative and Executive Assistant acting as project administrator and supporting business development at a management consulting firm and within financial services sector.

Amira holds a BA in International Studies from the Open University. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Sustainability Engagement Officer

Mariana joined IHA Sustainability in November 2021, where she leads the user journey of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, supports stakeholder engagement, and oversees external and internal communications to maximise implementation and enhance visibility over the Hydropower Sustainability Tools and Standard.

Prior to joining IHA Sustainability, Mariana acted as a Senior Coordinator at the National Wildlife Federation, where she supported the Tropical Forests and Agriculture Team in reducing tropical deforestation within agricultural supply chains.

Mariana holds an MA in Environment and Development from King’s College London, and a BA in Media Studies from American University. She is fluent in English, French, and Portuguese.