CEO of COGITE and Cogito International Consulting

Post graduated in Geosciences & Doctor specialist in hydrogeology, geology and geochemistry, I have 25 years of experience in the field of consulting. I led for several years a unit of several experts in a French consulting company. The core business was mainly management of public services on national and international markets. I have worked as a management consultant assisting international donors, agencies, ministries & governments, water companies and research organizations. I have supervised multidisciplinary teams in the fields of water, sanitation, renewable energies, transport and hydraulic infrastructure.

His main skills are:

• Project Management.
• Auditing & financial engineering of public utilities.
• Adaptability to complex context & negotiation.
• Management of multidisciplinary teams and studies in complex environment.
• Assistance in the implementation of territorial strategies.
• Geosciences.

Management of Public Utilities – COO

With over 15 years of experience in public utilities, Guillaume FAUQUERT organizes the operations for COGITE and is involved in many interdisciplinary projects. Mr FAUQUERT is a Doctor of the French National School of Rural Engineering, Water and Forests (ENGREF) – Water Sciences, Management Sciences – and an Engineer of the “Ecole Centrale de Lille”. Mr FAUQUERT wrote his thesis on the determinants of the price Drinking water services in France. Its multidisciplinary scientific skills enable him to assess financial and technical issues.

His main skills are :

• Project Management.
• Management of Public Utilities.
• Tariffs Structure & Cost Optimisation.
• Organization, Regulation, Economics & Management.
• Procurement, audit, PPP, concession.
• Hydraulics.

Financial & Accounting Director

Monika Belak has 22 years of experience as a management assistant and she is a member of COGITE since the beginning in 2011. She has multidisciplinary skills, a background in economics, accountability and administration and can speak 3 languages. She is the administrative and financial manager of COGITE and has been responsible for commercial support in the development of the export and development of the US subsidiary.

Her main skills are :

• Accountability and financial management.
• HR Management.
• General Service Management and Procurement.
• Administration.
• Commercial support, documentation & communication.

Management of Public Utilities – In charge of International Development

Adrien LELEU is a financial analyst and economist. He develops the experience he gained in conducting feasibility studies and economic, financial and institutional studies for projects with high technical added value in the fields of energy, water and transport. He has also performed financial arrangements for public-private partnership (PPP) projects. He works for international donors (AsDB, AfDB, AFD, EBRD, IBRD, WB, etc.).

His main skills are :

• Project Management.
• Economic and financial analysis.
• PPP transaction advisory and its financial modelling.
• Evaluation of projects for international donors.
• Development and implementation of policies.
• Management of multidisciplinary teams.

Management of Public Utilities – International

Julie CALMELS has many years of experience as an engineer in the fields of drinking water and sanitation. A graduate of the École Polytech de Montpellier and the École Polytechnique de Lausanne, she has significant experience in water and sanitation management in metropolitan France, overseas territories and internationally.

During her career, she has provided project management assistance for drinking water, sanitation and rainwater management projects. It has carried out technical studies (dimensioning of stations, network modelling, etc.), master plans and impact studies.

With her experience in large design offices and NGOs, Mrs. CALMELS has a global vision of the large and small water cycles. For example, she has also supervised network construction works in environments with characteristics similar to those of Mayotte.

Finally, she led and coordinated design office activities in contact with donors.

Anne-Lise AURICHE

Graduated with a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Development and specializing in economic diagnosis, Anne-Lise AURICHE exercised as an international economist in the private sector and then with an international financial backer where she was in charge of setting up and implementing projects in economic & financial governance and health, as well as supporting international project leaders.
Her main skills are :

• the operational organization and management of public utilities,
• assistance in the control, audit of contracts or public utility concessions,
• analysis of public accounts,
• carrying out technical, economic and financial studies.

Public Utilities Management – Consultant

Amandine GILBERT is an engineer from the National School for Water and Environmental Engineering of Strasbourg (ENGEES) and holds a Master’s degree from Cranfield University in the UK. She began her career working with non-governmental organizations and consulting firms on international projects aimed at improving access to water and sanitation. These experiences allowed her to develop strong expertise in large-scale project management, particularly in the design of drinking water supply networks, technical assistance to project owners, and capacity building of local stakeholders.

She joined COGITE in January 2025, where she applies her multidisciplinary expertise to studies on public utility management in international contexts, addressing issues related to accessibility, service organization, and private sector involvement.

Her main skills and areas of responsibility include:

• Management of international water and sanitation access projects

• Design and monitoring of drinking water supply networks

• Technical assistance to project owners

• Institutional and operational capacity building

• Techno-economic studies of public utilities

• Service organization and private sector involvement

Director of the Engineering Department

Engineer graduate, Karine LE MAUX first worked for a major public service delegate in France and abroad before joining the public utility management assistance department of a nationally established design office. She joined COGITE when it was created in 2011, to use her skills in Public Utilities Management in various fields for the benefit of local authorities. After 4 years which allowed her to further develop her skills at the Société du Canal de Provence, she is now responsible for the South-East Agency of COGITE.

Advisory missions to local authorities at the interface between the technical, legal and financial fields

• Assistance in the operational management of public utilities (mode of governance, mode of management, structural organization and human resources, etc.)
• Assistance in awarding, monitoring and auditing contracts, public service delegations, PPP
• Operation and maintenance assistance
• Reconstruction of costs / Construction of tariff schedules
• Drafting of Price and Quality of Service Report
• Transfer of skills (NOTRE Law, GEMAPI, etc.)

Financial, economic and socio-economic expertise, project evaluation

• Realization of economic and financial studies
• Analysis of the general economics of projects and their financing, analysis of sensitivity and profitability
• Project evaluation: cost-effectiveness analyzes (CEA), cost-benefit analyzes (CBA), multi-criteria analyzes (MCA),
• Service pricing study
• Socio-economic and environmental analysis of project impact

Head of Toulouse Agency – Management of Public Utilities – Environment

Victor DESSEN has been trained in geography giving him multidisciplinary skills in the management of environment and coastal risks and land use planning. He then completed his training with a Specialized Master “Water Management” (National School of Rural Engineering, Water and Forests (ENGREF)). Victor has developed in-depth expertise on flood risk management missions, both in technical field (hydrology, infrastructure diagnostics, vulnerability diagnostics), as well as on awareness and governance missions (public communication, management). By working on large projects in multidisciplinary groups, Victor has gained a strong experience of evaluation of public policies in Water, Sanitation, and Environment sectors.

Management of Public Utilities

Graduated from a Master of Water Treatment, Laurence VEYSSET develops her skills for nearly 6 years in water and sanitation management through her training and professional experience. Her missions in local authorities in Ile-de-France, in perticular as manager of purification plants in a sanitation syndicate, led her to Public Services Management. Since 2014, she has been developing, within the COGITE team, her expertise in contractual, technical-economic and financial engineering for assistance to local authorities.

Her main skills are :

• Management of Public Utilities.
• Operating Organization and Management.
• Procurement & Audit.
• Sanitation and Water asset management.
• Sewage treatment processes, technical expertise in sanitation.

Damien FRILEUX

Damien FRILEUX joined COGITE in January 2023, after more than 8 years spent in local authorities. Holder of a Master 2 in Public Finance and previously Director of Purchasing and Public Procurement within an urban community of 83 municipalities, he also worked as a teacher for the CNFPT in public procurement. His experience has given him a transversal approach in the management of public utilities, particularly in financial and contractual matters, while taking political and organizational issues into consideration.

His main skills are :

• assistance for control, audit contracts, PPP, concession or delegation of public service,
• support in the structuring of public utilities (technical, financial, administrative and legal aspects),

• Water and sanitation assets management

Legal manager – Public Law, accounting and public finance consultant

Ludovic LOMBARD has many years of experience as a specialist in the financial, tax and legal aspects of local authorities within private and public structures (universities in particular).

Holder of a Doctorate in public finance whose theme is “Taxation of the property of public persons”, as well as a Master 2 in General Public Law and a Master 2 in Public Business Law, Mr. Lombard masters the all of the accounting, financial, tax and legal aspects of local authorities. During his career, he conducted several studies on public finance and accounting law.

Since he joined COGITE, he has been involved in all legal issues encountered in the context of the various missions carried out by the company. He also participated in monitoring the performance of public service delegation contracts. For eighteen months he also held the position of financial, legal and market expert with the Syndicat Mixte Intercommunal d’Eau et d’Assainissement de Mayotte as part of an ATMO mission financed by AFD.

Mr. Lombard is also the editor of articles on public finance and tax law for the review Lexbase-Edition Fiscale.

Management of Public Utilities

Engineer of Polytech ‘Montpellier in Water Sciences and Technologies and holder of a Master’s degree from Cranfield University in England, Alice LAPORTE-VERGNES first worked within “Syndicats Intercommunaux” (Water & Sanitation). Her missions allowed her to develop her skills, in particular in the development of investment programs, monitoring of building sites and control of water companies. She joined COGITE in January 2016 and uses her multidisciplinary know-how for Public Services Management studies, on technical-economic, organizational and contractual issues.

Her main skills are :

• Public Management Utilities.
• Procurement, Audit, Concession.
• Sanitation and Water assets management.

Management of Public Utilities

Engineer of the National School of Water and Environment Engineering (ENGEES) and holder of a Master’s degree in Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Jeanne BAVARD has 7 years of professional experience. Initially specialized in the field of the environment (end of studies report on the establishment of a network for evaluating dystrophic processes in the rivers of Languedoc Roussillon), her professional activities led her to take an interest in the management of public services. Since 2013, she has been developing, within the COGITE team, her expertise in contractual, technical-economic and financial engineering for assistance to local authorities.

Her main skills are :

• Public Management Utilities.
• Operating Organization and Management.
• Procurement, Audit, Concession.
• Public Accountability.
• Hydraulics.
• Fluvial hydraulics and management of aquatic environments.

Management of Public Utilities – Consultant

Graduated with a Master 2 “Advice and expertise in public action” at Sciences Po. Toulouse, as well as a License in Law specializing in General Public Law obtained within the University of Perpignan. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in international business abroad in Ireland (program attached to the University of Perpignan), Institute of Technology of Waterford. After a mission in the Prefecture, as well as experience in business creation, Quentin decided to put his dynamism at the service of COGITE in 2021.

He is in charge of :

• Operational organization and management of public services;
• Monitoring of the operation of drinking water and sanitation services;
• Support for production and preparation of calls for tenders.

Management of Public Utilities – Consultant

Marion LABRO first worked within a Departmental Syndicate to support the communities of the Lot in the management of their drinking water service. These missions allowed him to develop his skills, in particular in the monitoring of concession contracts, technical and legal advice to local authorities and the control of delegates. She joined COGITE in 2022 and uses her know-how for studies of Management and Delegation of Public Services, on technical-economic, organizational and contractual issues.

She is in charge of:

• Operational organization and management of public services,
• Assistance in the price, control, audit of contracts or public service concessions,
• Operation of water and sanitation works.

Public Services Management – Consultant

An engineer by training, Barbara VIGNOLLE has worked within a large environmental specialist group, and internationally where she collaborated with an NGO and a public development bank. In the context of financing water and sanitation projects with foreign states, she has notably supported project owners in supervising public procurement procedures, and in monitoring FIDIC contracts for works and technical assistance, among other things on themes of regulation, public policies and management of drinking water and sanitation services.

Her main skills and responsibilities are:

• Conducting multi-year audits/monitoring of public service delegations and authorities.
• Support in structuring public services (technical, financial, administrative and legal aspects).
• Support in choosing the management method for their public services.
• Support in transferring drinking water and sanitation skills.

Direction Assistant

Graduate of a Senior Technician’s Certificate of Executive Assistant, Caroline LASSALLE has more than 10 years of experience in office administration. She is a member of COGITE SAS since 2015 in order to strengthen the administrative management in coordination with Monika BELAK. She is responsible of the tendering unit.

Her main skills are:

• Public Procurement
  • Business Intelligence
  • Call for tender
• Administrative Unit
  • Administration Management
  • Customers relationship

Public Services Management – Consultant

A water science and technology engineer from ENGEES and holder of a master’s degree in Business Management and Administration from EM Strasbourg, Léonie DESSARTINE joined COGITE in June 2022. Before that, she developed, within a previous experience in a design office, missions relating to support for public policies and management of public services, particularly water and sanitation.

Her main responsibilities and skills are:

• Support for the structuring of public services (technical, financial, administrative and legal aspects), in particular in several water/sanitation skills transfer studies – NOTRe law.
• Support in the implementation of Public Service delegation procedures and more broadly public procurement.
• Carrying out multi-year audits/monitoring of public service delegations.

Consultante Gestion de Services Publics

Diplômée de l’ENSIL en génie de l’eau, des déchets et de l’environnement, Izia LENA a exercé ses compétences au sein de bureaux d’études et d’organismes privés afin d’assurer la mise en œuvre de projets et le conseil technique auprès de collectivités, principalement dans les domaines des déchets, de l’eau potable et de l’assainissement. Elle a rejoint COGITE en 2023 et met à disposition son savoir-faire pluridisciplinaire pour des études de gestion des services publics, sur des problématiques technico-économiques, organisationnelles et contractuelles.

Izia intervient chez COGITE auprès de ses clients pour :

• Missions de conseil aux collectivités à l’interface entre les domaines techniques, juridiques et financiers
  • Étude amont de gouvernance, schémas directeurs, etc.
  • Assistance à la gestion opérationnelle des services publics (mode de gouvernance, mode de gestion, organisation structurelle et ressources humaines, etc.),
  • Assistance à la passation, au contrôle et à l’audit de marchés, délégations de service public, PPP,
  • Reconstitution des coûts / Construction de grilles tarifaires,
  • Rédaction de Rapport Prix et Qualité du Service,
  • Transfert de compétences (Loi NOTRE, GEMAPI, etc.).
• Missions commerciales (Montage d’offres, de mémoires techniques et de devis, auditions)

Public Services Management – Consultant

Graduated from the University of Littoral Côte d’Opale with a Master’s degree (M2) in Environmental Expertise and Treatment, Anne-Sophie has applied her skills within major water treatment groups, government agencies, as well as small private and non-profit organizations. Her missions included providing technical advice, operational support, project management, and funding assistance to local authorities and industrial clients, primarily in the fields of water treatment and sanitation.

She joined COGITE in February 2024 and now brings her multidisciplinary expertise to public services management studies, addressing technical-economic, organizational, and contractual issues.

Public Services Management Consultant

Emma graduated from the Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) in Rennes and holds a Master’s degree in Urban Services Engineering – Emerging Cities (ISUR-VED).

Taking into account technical, financial, and institutional aspects, Emma favors a multidisciplinary approach to the assignments she undertakes. Her professional experience, mainly focused on the management of public services and institutional and financial analysis of urban utilities, has allowed her to develop expertise in several areas, including water, sanitation, and waste management. Her work includes, among other things, financial and pricing engineering, internal organization of local authorities—particularly during transfers of responsibilities or when addressing territorial challenges.

Public Utilities Management Consultant

Martin joined COGITE under a work-study contract in September 2023. He is currently pursuing an engineering degree in Water Science and Technology at Polytech Montpellier.

Martin has developed his expertise through academic internships, notably at CEREMA and at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology in Vietnam. Thanks to the theoretical and technical training provided by his studies, he has a solid understanding of how local authorities are organized and operate—particularly in the management of public water and sanitation services.

At COGITE, Martin supports local authorities by:

• Assisting in the structuring of their public utility services (technical, financial, administrative, and legal aspects)

• Supporting the implementation of Public Service Delegation procedures and, more broadly, Public Procurement

• Conducting audits and multi-year monitoring of public service delegation contracts

Public Utilities Management Consultant

Nora holds a Master’s degree in Comparative Political Science and Sociology from the University of Bordeaux and Sciences Po Bordeaux. She also gained valuable experience at the G-EAU research unit (Water Management, Actors, and Uses) at INRAE Montpellier before joining COGITE in October 2023. Her academic background has given her a strong understanding of the organization and operations of local authorities, which she now applies to supporting the management of public water and sanitation services—particularly through assistance with competence transfers, audits, and public service performance monitoring.

At COGITE, Nora supports local authorities by:

• Assisting in the structuring of their public utility services (technical, financial, administrative, and legal aspects), notably through various studies related to the transfer of water/sanitation responsibilities under the NOTRe law

• Supporting the implementation of Public Service Delegation procedures and, more broadly, Public Procurement

• Conducting audits and multi-year monitoring of public service delegation contracts

Water and Sanitation Project Officer

Clément LAVOLTE is a trained technician in drinking water and sanitation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Process Engineering, specializing in Water, Sludge and Waste Treatment Analysis and Management, from the University of Champollion and the Fonlabour Agricultural High School in Albi. He also holds a BTSA (Advanced Technician’s Certificate) in Water Management and Control from the same institution. He joined COGITE in September 2023.

Prior to this, he worked for a departmental mixed syndicate for water and sanitation services, operating wastewater treatment plants and sewer networks. These various experiences have enabled him to develop strong expertise in both collective and non-collective sanitation systems, as well as an understanding of their impact on natural environments, especially aquatic ecosystems.

At COGITE, Clément supports local authorities with:

• Structuring their public utility services (mainly technical aspects), notably through various competence transfer studies

• Assisting with asset management of utilities (renewal planning, investment strategies)

• Conducting audits and multi-year monitoring of public service delegation contracts and public utility boards

• Performing post-audit controls of subsidies granted by the Adour-Garonne Water Agency

Public Utilities Management – Consultant

Tom joined the team at the Northern Agency. A 2023 graduate of Polytech Montpellier with a work-study background in the water and sanitation sector, he brings a fresh perspective and solid technical knowledge to support our partner local authorities.

He is currently assisting two intercommunal structures and a joint syndicate with the transfer of water and sanitation responsibilities, ensuring that this shift in the scale of management and contracting authority is carried out under the best possible conditions.

Environmental Footprint & Carbon Assessment – Consultant

An engineer from École Centrale de Lyon with a specialization in water treatment and environmental sciences, Claire LE PRIOL has strong expertise in assessing the environmental footprint of products, services, and organizations. After several experiences in greenhouse gas emissions accounting, she joined COGITE to help develop a new area of expertise within the firm, supporting local authorities and public operators on these topics.

In 2024–2025, she completed the Bilan Carbone® training delivered by the Institut de Formation Carbone (IFC), a certified organization under the Association for the Low-Carbon Transition (ABC), and obtained accreditation to carry out regulatory carbon assessments for public or private entities.

Her main skills and areas of responsibility include:

• Conducting greenhouse gas (GHG) emission assessments

• Evaluating the environmental footprint of organizations

• Supporting local authorities in their low-carbon transition

• Multisectoral techno-environmental analysis

• Mastery of the Bilan Carbone® methodology

• Multidisciplinary approach to environmental engineering

Public Utilities Management – Senior Consultant / Project Manager

A graduate from an engineering school, Arnaud BENE has extensive experience in the fields of water, environment, and maritime affairs. Throughout his career, he has held positions of responsibility combining technical expertise with contractual and administrative management. As a multidisciplinary consultant, he is proficient in both technical aspects and contractual challenges.

He has significant experience in project management, preliminary studies, and project owner assistance. His areas of intervention are wide-ranging, covering water and sanitation management, stormwater, flood risks, environmental issues, and maritime topics. He works on technical design assignments, public procurement assistance, as well as audits and evaluations.

His versatility allows him to balance strategic and operational approaches, with a constant focus on meeting objectives while respecting constraints.

His main skills and areas of responsibility include:

• Project management in water, environmental, and maritime sectors

• Technical design and project engineering

• Project owner assistance and upstream studies

• Public procurement: contractual and administrative support

• Stormwater and flood risk management

• Technical audits, evaluations, and diagnostics

Public Utilities Management – Consultant

An engineer from CentraleSupélec with a background in Environmental Biotechnology and International Project Management, Antoine VALENTIN has developed expertise in the management of water, sanitation, and solid waste services through numerous experiences with public institutions across the globe—from Madagascar to India, as well as Djibouti and Uzbekistan.

Previously a Project Manager at the French Development Agency (AFD), he was involved in the strategic, technical, and financial design and implementation of international cooperation programs. Through these roles, he has built solid expertise in infrastructure project management and large-scale public service transformation, aimed at improving the living conditions of local populations.

His main skills and areas of responsibility include:

• Management of international infrastructure projects

• Strategic, technical, and financial oversight of public programs

• International cooperation and support to local public institutions

• Transformation of water, sanitation, and waste management services

• Public utility engineering and sectoral governance

• Improvement of living conditions and local capacity building