The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) has appointed Yvonne Zhou, managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), as a special advisor to IDRA.
The appointment reflects IDRA’s commitment to strengthening the links between global water strategy, finance and policy. As special advisor, Zhou will provide strategic guidance to advance IDRA’s mission of integrating innovation, investment and policy to support a sustainable water future.
Zhou brings more than two decades of consulting experience to the role. At BCG, she serves as the firm’s global topic leader for water, global lead for climate and sustainability in the public sector, and lead for agriculture, water and the environment across the Middle East. Based in Riyadh, she has worked extensively with governments, infrastructure companies, development banks and industry on green transformation, sustainable food and water, climate adaptation and resilience, and digital transformation.
Her recent work has focused on advancing water security, sustainability and resilience across the Middle East, helping to shape strategies that position water as a driver of long-term economic growth and development.
“Her leadership at BCG, combined with a rare blend of global water strategy expertise and deep regional insight, makes Yvonne’s appointment especially timely as we prepare to bring the global water community to Saudi Arabia for the IDRA World Congress (1–5 Nov 2026), hosted by the Saudi Water Authority under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture,” said Shannon McCarthy, secretary general of IDRA.
“At a pivotal moment for our sector, as demand for resilient water solutions continues to grow, her guidance will help IDRA strengthen the connections between innovation, investment and policy needed to accelerate meaningful progress worldwide,” McCarthy added.
“It is a privilege to join IDRA at such a pivotal moment for the water sector,” said Zhou. “Desalination and reuse are central to water security, economic development and climate resilience. I look forward to helping IDRA advance practical, scalable solutions that bring governments, industry and investors together.”
IDRA’s special advisors include leaders from the public and private sectors, academia and finance, representing a global network spanning more than 60 countries. The association fully supports the UN Water Action Agenda, driving innovation and integration across the global water community. Established in 1973, IDRA holds UN ECOSOC and UNFCCC status and is a partner of UN-Water and the FAO WASAG Programme.
