Daniel Tugues appointed Country Director of Veolia in Spain to lead ecological transformation

Veolia has appointed Daniel Tugues as its new Country Director for Spain, effective May 1, 2025. With this strategic move, the company reinforces its commitment to Spain as a key market in its global roadmap for ecological transformation, integrating its operations in water, energy, and waste management through a unified strategy.

In his new role, Tugues will oversee all of Veolia’s operations in Spain, including the management of the mixed-ownership utility Aigües de Barcelona, one of the group’s most emblematic partnerships. He will be tasked with improving operational performance while promoting sustainable and innovative solutions under the One Veolia model and the GreenUp strategic program.

Spain plays a central role in Veolia’s global strategy. The group highlights that the country is not only a priority due to its operational footprint, with over 14,000 employees, but also because of its potential to showcase integrated environmental service models that strengthen local resilience and sustainable development.

According to Estelle Brachlianoff, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia, Spain is at the heart of the company’s vision for ecological transformation. She explained that the One Veolia approach and the GreenUp program bring together the group's full expertise to deliver high-impact solutions that meet growing client demands while supporting community resilience. She added that Daniel Tugues’s experience as CEO of Aguas Andinas, as well as his leadership and strategic vision, will be essential to advancing Veolia’s ambitions in Spain, particularly through long-standing collaborations such as that with Aigües de Barcelona.

Tugues is an accomplished executive with more than 20 years of experience in the environmental services and utilities sector. He began his career at Agbar in Spain in 2004 as a business analyst. He later moved to Chile, where he held senior positions including Business Development Manager at Aqualogy Chile and Operations Manager at Suez Chile. In 2017, he returned to Spain to lead Suez Recycling & Recovery Spain, and two years later went back to Chile to join Aguas Andinas, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and then as Chief Executive Officer from 2023.

At Aguas Andinas, Tugues launched Biociudad, a strategy focused on enhancing Santiago’s resilience to climate change. The initiative promoted the reuse of water, the development of alternative sources, and the implementation of nature-based solutions to secure water availability for over eight million people. He also contributed to national infrastructure policy as Chair of the Water Resources Committee of the Chilean Infrastructure Policy Council (CPI), working alongside public and private stakeholders to address critical water challenges.

Tugues said that taking on this strategic role in his home country is both an honour and a major responsibility. He expressed his commitment to supporting local teams and applying his international experience to generate a lasting impact in the communities Veolia serves. He emphasized the company’s ambition to promote growth, resilience, innovation, and shared success across Spain.

Tugues holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, an MBA from IESE Business School, and a Master’s in Integrated Water Management from Agbar-UPC.

Alongside this appointment, Veolia has also named Rafael Villaseca as Non-Executive Chairman of Veolia Spain. In this capacity, Villaseca, former CEO of Gas Natural Fenosa, will take on responsibilities related to institutional representation and engagement with key stakeholders, further strengthening the group’s presence and positioning in the Spanish market.

With these appointments, Veolia reinforces its leadership in Spain and aims to deliver a new stage of growth through integrated, sustainable and resilient environmental solutions, adapted to the evolving needs of municipalities, industry and society at large.