Career Path Of A Chief Operating Officer At BioDAF Water Technologies USA
Marcos's career path, beginning with an international business degree and internships in international business auditing and water wastewater treatment, reflects a growing passion for environmental sustainability. This passion, coupled with project management experience and the leveraging of technology to "optimize water treatment," ultimately led to co-founding BioDAF Water Technologies USA and Marcos's current role as Chief Operating Officer where strategic decision-making, such as obtaining state regulator certification for their technology, is key to their success.
International Business, Project Management, Water Technology, Leadership, Sustainability
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Marcos De la Monja
Chief Operating Officer
BioDAF Water Technologies USA
Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO)
MBA - University of South Carolina | Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
International Relations & Affairs
Climate, Environment, Sustainability & Waste Management
Operations and Project Management
Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Marcos pursued a major in international business in college but maintained a passion for environmental sustainability and water resources. This passion influenced his internship and career choices.
2. His career progressed from financial analyst and project management roles in a water treatment engineering firm to program manager, leveraging technology to optimize water treatment and working on international projects.
3. A pivotal moment was transitioning from project management to a leadership role as Chief Operating Officer, where strategic decision-making became central, such as the decision to pursue state certification for their technology, which was crucial for the company's success.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college and any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
At university, I majored in international business, but I've always had a passion for the environment, sustainability, and water resources. Some internships I completed were at an international auditing firm, where I conducted international business auditing paperwork for transnational companies.
Then, I moved into a wastewater treatment engineering firm. I started as a financial analyst and project manager, essentially a project accountant. This is where I became even more passionate about the role I was taking, the technology, and the tools we were implementing for clients that had an immediate impact on the environment.
This internship eventually became a full-time role at the company. I continued as a financial analyst and project manager, and over time, I started taking on more responsibilities. I became a program manager, overseeing several projects and leveraging technology to optimize water treatment.
This, coupled with my lifelong English language skills, eventually led me to work on international projects. This brought me to the United States in 2014, where I co-founded Bio that USA.
Probably the most pivotal moment was transitioning from project management to a leadership role. Now, as Chief Operating Officer, strategic decision-making is at the forefront. For example, back in 2016, we were figuring out our direction. Through strategic decision-making, we made the executive decision to pursue certification from state regulators to get our technology approved. We completed a pilot, and it was approved, which I really enjoyed.
Throughout my entire journey, I've stayed grounded in my passion for innovation, water sustainability, and the broader circular economy.