Leadership transition at 1001fontaines
After 10 years of dedication, our CEO, Julien Ancele, will hand over the baton on September 15 to Pierre-André Térisse, marking a new chapter for our organization.
Under Julien Ancele’s leadership, 1001fontaines has successfully brought to life the founders’ vision: developing a safe drinking water access solution that combines social impact and economic sustainability. Thanks to the daily commitment of 1,300 entrepreneurs and team members, our organization now serves nearly 1.5 million people with safe drinking water, compared to 300,000 ten years ago.
In Cambodia, our network of 340 rural water kiosks has transformed access to safe water at the national scale. In Madagascar, a pioneering system was designed and successfully implemented to meet the needs of urban populations. Julien Ancele also initiated pilot projects in Myanmar, Vietnam, and more recently Bangladesh, paving the way for the international expansion of the organization.
“It has been both a great pleasure and an immense honor for me to contribute to the growth of this wonderful project. I am grateful to the founders, the Board of Directors, the teams, and our partners for their trust. I wish Pierre-André every success for the future, and I am convinced that 1001fontaines is in excellent hands to reach new heights in the near future.”
Over the past 20 years, our unique model of essential bottled water services has gained visibility and recognition. This is a source of pride for all of us, but also a responsibility: to continue extending our impact.
The challenge remains immense: more than 4 billion people worldwide still do not have access to safe drinking water. This reality requires a profound paradigm shift—one that 1001fontaines is determined to actively contribute to.
It is in this context that Pierre-André Térisse is stepping in as CEO, with the mission of making 1001fontaines a key global player by expanding our impact to new geographies and strengthening our capacity to disseminate our approach.
With over 30 years of experience in the water sector, Pierre-André Térisse has held senior leadership roles in major international groups, always putting people and sustainability at the heart of his priorities. In 2019, he launched a responsible bottled water company in Senegal, an entrepreneurial venture that enriched his journey.
Since joining the Board of Directors of 1001fontaines in 2023, Pierre-André has naturally emerged as the right successor to lead the organization into this new chapter, while continuing to build strong new collaborations.
“One in two people worldwide still lacks daily access to safe drinking water! Over the past two years, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of 1001fontaines on vulnerable populations, and its ability to multiply this impact—directly or through alliances. I am delighted to contribute my experience in the water sector and on the African continent, as well as my energy to the teams and to this ambition.”
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Julien for his dedication, and we warmly welcome Pierre-André to the team.
