Secret investors in a proposed plan to tap Mexico’s ocean as a source of the United States’ drinking water for the first time aren’t so secret any more.
The Otay Water District had refused for more than a month to say who was involved in a company helping develop the proposal. But names of those involved with the firm, Norte Sur Agua, have slowly been trickling out. The district’s public relations firm announced two more names in a press release sent late Friday night: Alejandro de la Vega-Valladolid and Chang Bin Yim.
The release describes them this way:
Norte Sur Agua is owned by Mr. Alejandro De La Vega-Valladolid, and EWG Water, LLC. EWG Water, LLC was co-founded by Mr. Gough Thompson and Mr. Chang Bin Yim.
Mr. Thompson has more than 30 years of experience advising Fortune 500 companies on conducting business in the Middle East. Chang Bin Yim has been an active member of the international business community for more than 40 years. Mr. De La Vega-Valladolid is a highly recognized and respected businessman in Baja California.
We’d previously reported that Thompson was involved. And the Union-Tribune has previously said that Victor Vilaplana, a local attorney and former Port Commission board member, is also an investor in a company that has proposed the plant.
I’ve fought to see the names previously because it was unclear who stood to benefit financially from the unprecedented project while they were secret. But I don’t yet have much background information on these individuals. I’ll report back if I find out anything important about the business partners.
If you know anything about any of the investors, please e-mail me. I’m Rob Davis, senior reporter at voiceofsandiego.org. Contact me directly at rob.davis@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.325.0529.
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