José Tomás Frade is currently working as a freelance consultant in the water and sanitation sector throughout the world, with a particular focus on developing countries. He is currently in charge of coordinating the national strategy of the Portuguese water sector for the period 2014-20 at the invitation of the Government.
Mr Frade worked for 24 years in the Projects Directorate of the European Investment Bank, from which he retired in November 2012. As Deputy Director and Head of the Water and Environmental Protection Division since 2000, he was responsible for managing a team of water specialists which, for over 10 years, has appraised and monitored all the projects in the water sector financed by the Bank in more than 80 countries. As a technical advisor at the EIB, Mr Frade was directly involved in the assessment and monitoring of more than 100 projects developed by both the public and the private sector in the EU, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean, Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean, Asia and Latin America.
Mr Frade graduated from the University of Lisbon as a Civil Engineer in 1970. He began his professional career as a hydraulics researcher and taught water engineering at the university for six years. He worked as consultant in the water sector for 15 years before joining the EIB.