Dr Martin Preene is a groundwater control specialist who has been a dewatering practitioner since the mid-1980s, with experience both as a contractor and consultant and having worked on projects in more than 40 countries. He is currently a Technical Director at Coffey Geotechnics in the UK. He is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Chartered Geologist with more than 35 years’ experience working in groundwater control. He is a past Chair of the British Geotechnical Association and in 2021 was awarded the John Mitchel Medal by the Institution of Civil Engineers for Excellence in Geotechnical Practice. In 2025 he presented the 23rd Coulomb Lecture to the CFMS (French Committee for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnics). He is the author of more than 80 papers and publications, including a dewatering textbook and several industry guidance documents on the investigation and control of groundwater.

Guido van Tongeren, a key shareholder and director at Bronbemaling.com, leads the drilling and dewatering sector within Bouwend Nederland. Raised in a Dutch entrepreneurial family, Guido was surrounded by a legacy of groundwater technology that has spanned over 75 years, particularly focusing on dewatering for various construction projects. Now in his role as the third generation, Guido van Tongeren carries on the tradition of his grandfather’s creativity and determination. We are dedicated to contributing to the future!

David is Managing Director of Stuart Wells Limited and a leading expert in groundwater control within the UK Civil Engineering Industry. With over 30 years’ experience in the design, operation, and delivery of construction dewatering systems for infrastructure projects in the nuclear, transport, commercial, energy and utility sectors. A chartered Geologist and registered Ground Engineering Professional, David is a keen environmentalist and champion of sustainable construction.

Barry is the Managing Director and a founding partner of Hydroserv International established in Qatar in 2014 and later in 2017, establishing its sister companies, Drillserv and Siteserv. Barry hails from Ireland, has over 17 years’ experience in dewatering projects in Europe and the Middle East, in addition to his MD role he is also Head of Business Development and Portfolio Diversification for the group. Barry has a wide-ranging experience in leading design teams on bidding and successfully delivering multidisciplinary projects related to dewatering, over pumping, drilling and remediation. Barry works with his executive team and is ultimately responsible for all operations including the setting of company financial objectives and their successful execution. Barry is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, CEng FICE, has a Masters in Hydrogeology from University of Stratchclyde, along with Bachelor Degrees in Civil and Structural Engineering from Munster Technical University, Ireland.

Sofie de Volder trained as a biologist with a specialisation in management. In 2020, she co-founded TRAQUA as a business developer. Since 2020, through her involvement in TRAQUA, she has been developing field experience in the implementation of hydrogeological investigation methods. She has taken part in more than a dozen hydrogeological surveys with field missions in Belgium. Her activities mainly involve setting up and maintaining field monitoring networks (STREAM® probes, piezometric probes, pumps) and hydrogeology-related field measurements (piezometric levels, pumping flows, gauging). As TRAQUA’s business developer, Sofie de Volder has specific knowledge of STREAM® monitoring instruments, their use in the field and their suitability for monitoring tracer tests. In addition, she has solid experience in setting up research and industrial projects, in project management (administration, customer contact and follow-up) and in communication related to Traqua’s activities (professional networks, website).

With 25 years engineering / environmental consultancy experience, Claire is the Technical Principal (Groundwater) and Hydrogeology Specialism Lead within the Heavy Civils Infrastructure division of Mott MacDonald. She is the groundwater engineering lead for: major Design & Build infrastructure projects in the UK and overseas (including HS2, Tideway, Crossrail, Doha Metro); construction risk mitigation advisor for Mott MacDonald Bentley and other Contractor clients; and strategic client advisor for operational asset management projects (including Eurotunnel). Bringing a wealth of experience from across multiple sectors and clients, Claire is skilled at bringing clients – contractors – stakeholders together to see groundwater risks through the same lens. Focusing on groundwater management solutions to appropriately de-risk for all parties.

Tim holds degrees in both Civil Engineering and Business Administration and brings 25 years of experience in the construction industry. Since 2008, he has been Director of International Operations at the Hölscher Group, where he leads the company’s international activities. He has extensive experience across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Based in Germany, Tim combines technical expertise as a groundwater contractor with a strong focus on business development, strategic planning, and organisational growth. His work bridges operational leadership with deep insight into international markets and scalable business models in the groundwater sector.

Prof. dr. ing Ruud J. Schotting is an extraordinary professor of Quantitative Water Management at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. His academic work focuses on understanding and modelling flow and transport processes in the subsurface, with applications in groundwater and environmental systems. Over the course of his career, he has supervised multiple PhD projects and contributed to advancing knowledge in groundwater management and subsurface hydrology.

David is a professional Hydrogeologist with over 30 years’ experience across Europe, The Middle East and SE Asia. Professionally he has managed a wide variety of water and related drilling projects in the Food & Water, Oil & Gas, Marine, Mining and Environment sectors. He also specializes in company setup and management in the Drilling and Earth science fields having been a founding Director of: Fior Uisce Mineral Waters (2000, Ireland); Andam International LLC (2002, Oman); IDS (2009, Oman); PT Andam Resorsis Nusantara (2012, Indonesia); Drillserv for Hydroserv (2017, Qatar); and AIL-International (2021, Qatar). He is currently the Managing Director for Andam International and the Drilling Director for Hydroserv.

Mr. Ombalski is a geologist and geologic engineer and has been a consultant in the environmental industry for over 30 years. For the past two decades he has led a directional drilling company focusing on horizontal wells for environmental remediation, water supply, and dewatering. Mr. Ombalski is a named inventor on four US Patents related to the installation of horizontal wells and horizontal well installation technology and has personally overseen the installation of hundreds of horizontal wells at industrial and federal sites across the United States. He provides consultation, design and construction review to geologists and engineers to ensure successfully installed horizontal well systems around the world. He has led training and published papers on many topics related to HDD, with a focus on design of horizontal well screens to distribute air and liquids for air/biosparging, soil vapor extraction, and liquid injection or extraction from horizontal wells. Mr. Ombalski resides in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.

Senior Project Manager/Business Developer for the past 21 years with Griffin Fluid Management, second go around. I have over 4 decades of experience in the water infrastructure and construction industry. Started in the Houston, Texas area in 1980 and in the Midwest since 1985. Dealing with dewatering systems (wellpoints, deep wells jetted and drilled, eductor systems and conventional sump and pump techniques), temporary water transfer, aquifer storage, groundwater treatment and all facets of water infrastructure construction. A graduate from Kent State University (Kent, OH) with a bachelors degree in Business Administration, Marketing and Management. Notable Projects: Carnotite Water Treatment project in Chicago treating radioactive groundwater (TDI Award Winner); Sanford Dam, Michigan (TDI Award Winner), Dakota Access Pipeline in Illinois and Iowa, NUCOR Steel Project in West Virginia and the Gallipolis Lock and Dam Project in West Virginia. Relaxation by BBQ in the summer and baking from scratch all year. Happily married for 39 years with three children and numerous pets.

Eleni Smyrniou is a Medior Advisor and Researcher at Deltares, specializing in the intersection of geotechnical engineering and artificial intelligence. With a robust background in numerical modeling and data-driven techniques, she develops innovative solutions—such as AI-powered 2D subsoil schematization—that enhance soil investigation methods and enable more precise engineering designs. Through her work, Eleni significantly contributes to Deltares’ mission of “Enabling Delta Life” by translating cutting-edge research into practical, robust solutions that bolster infrastructure safety and resilience. Her interests span a broad spectrum. She is active in automation, working on libraries like Geolib, Geolib+, and DataFusionTools. She also contributes to large-scale consultancy projects such as RESET and STEM, and investigates how animal burrowing impacts the safety of Dutch flood embankments. Eleni continually pioneers the implementation of innovative techniques like Reinforcement Learning, GANs, LLMs and Digital twins to solve complex challenges.

Mark is a Chartered Geologist with over 20 years’ experience in consultancy. He is Head of Technology for Engineering Hydrogeology at Jacobs. As part of the Tunnelling and Ground Engineering team he provides technical leadership to the wider business. He is also Chair of the Hydrogeological Group of the Geological Society of London. During his career he has worked within the UK and internationally to support delivery of major infrastructure projects across a range of sectors including nuclear new build, transport, aviation and defence. He strives to promote sustainable management of groundwater both during construction and as part of climate resilient design. He is driven by a desire to raise the profile of hydrogeology and improve awareness of the value of early engagement with groundwater professionals to reduce project risk.

Joseph Dreissiger is a German-British-Hungarian geologist with over 30 years of experience in hydrogeology, water management, and geothermal energy. Since 2013, he has worked as a Project Manager for Deep Drilling and Geothermal Projects at Hölscher Wasserbau GmbH, based in Regensburg. His career includes senior roles at leading engineering consultancies across Germany and the UK, focusing on groundwater management, well construction, and environmental remediation. Joseph holds a degree in Geology (Dipl.-Geologe, MSc Hons) from RWTH Aachen University, specializing in applied hydrogeology and groundwater management.

Mr. Chegwidden is a Project Manager for the Groundwater Control group at Keller North America and has 9 years of experience in geotechnical engineering, specifically with ground freezing and dewatering projects. He has received his B.S in Construction Engineering Technology from New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ and completed a short course on Grouting and Ground Improvement at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO. Andrew is also an active advisory board member for the Underground Construction Association Young Members group (UCAYM) of SME. Early in his career, Andrew gained extensive field experience working on bridge, tunnel, building, earthmoving and tunneling projects. This hands-on experience provided him with diverse experience across multiple industries for the construction of deep foundation and groundwater control systems. Today, his responsibilities include management of groundwater control projects to oversee field quality assurance/control and resource scheduling for system installation and operation with various contracting partners across the United States. Key projects include involvement with shaft construction at Bergen Point Outfall Replacement in Long Island, NY, USA , liquid nitrogen freeze for TBM rescue at the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) project in greater Montreal, QC, Canada, and shaft construction at City Water Tunnel No. 3 Shaft 17B and 18B in the borough of Queens New York, New York, USA.

Martin Welsford is Associate and Technical Manager at Stuart Wells Ltd, one of the UK’s leading groundwater control and dewatering contractors. A graduate of the University of Plymouth, Martin holds a BSc (Hons) in Applied Geology, and has since worked as both a contractor and consultant in groundwater engineering. He has led in the design, delivery, and management of complex dewatering systems across the UK. This includes major infrastructure, energy, and transport projects such as Hinkley Point C and High Speed 2. In 2024, he was awarded the Young Professional of the Year by the Dewatering Institute, recognising his technical expertise and contribution to the global dewatering community.

Bas Davies is a passionate project manager specialising in sustainable groundwater technology. With a Bachelor’s degree in Land and Water Management and a postgraduate qualification in Project Management, he has built his career around innovation and climate-adaptive water solutions. Having worked in both field operations and consultancy, Bas combines technical expertise with strong leadership and a focus on knowledge sharing. At Henk van Tongeren Water & Techniek, he leads projects that connect sustainability and innovation, including large-scale rainwater infiltration and dewatering systems. Recognised for his forward-thinking approach, Bas represents the new generation of professionals driving progress in groundwater management.

James is an Engineering Hydrogeologist and Director at OGI Groundwater Specialists Ltd, a leading consultancy in the modelling and design of complex groundwater control systems. As a graduate of the University of Durham, with a BSc (Hons) in Geology, James has extensive experience in the identification of groundwater hazards and risks in construction, together with the subsequent design of innovative groundwater control solutions. James has experience working on projects throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, and is an expert in supporting clients with licensing and permitting requirements relevant to the Dewatering Industry. Day-to-day James takes a leading role in the running of OGI, while also managing multiple national and international groundwater projects simultaneously.

Adrian Ferrer is an Assistant Project Coordinator at FERRER’s international division. Shortly after graduating from Humber Polytechnic’s Electromechanical Engineering Technology program, he began his dewatering career in the Canadian market with Ferrer Dewatering Canada (FDC). He brings hands-on experience from his previous role as a Project Engineering Intern at Unilever’s Rexdale factory in Toronto, where he managed multiple CAPEX projects from conception to implementation. Adrian is passionate about sustainable groundwater management and is dedicated to driving innovation through technology and software.