Forum Speakers

In order to take up this position Andrew moved to London from Singapore in early 2009, having spent 20 years living and working in Asia before this. Prior to joining LCI in executive capacity, Andrew was responsible for fund management at Devonshire Capital, a firm he co-founded with partners in 1995. In all he has 18 years of asset management and investment banking experience, having specialised in private equity, private placement and cross border M&A.

Andrew holds an MBA in Finance from Leicester University and a PGCert in Climate Change and Sustainable Development from De Montfort University

Before her London assignment she was based in ING Amsterdam as Director within Structured Finance Utilities-Power EMEA (Feb 2005 – June 2007).

Prior to that, she worked for 5 years in ING Structured Finance – Utilities-Power in New York. Clara has extensive experience structuring and placing non-recourse power project finance transactions and structured corporate financings covering renewable and traditional technologies. Her experience extends to developed and developing markets. Clara has hands on experience in power financing in Poland having lead the team that structured the EUR 879 million financing for the expansion and modernisation of BOT Elektrownia Be?chatów S.A. Prior to ING New York, Clara worked for almost five years (1995-2000) in ING Bogota where she led ING’s efforts in the local capital markets, structuring several local currency bond and securitisation transactions. She also worked in close coordination with ING New York – Utilities for the origination and execution of project finance/power deals in Colombia.

Clara holds a Masters Degree (LL.M.) in International Banking from Boston University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario University – Law School (Colombia). She has also pursued studies in Corporate Finance and Marketing in London School of Economics.

Clara is a native Spanish speaker and is fluent in English.

More recently Jaz structured a new portfolio facility for RES’ new wind power projects in the UK and France with Lloyds Banking Group and BNP Paribas. This new facility can finance up to 300MW of wind power projects. The first project financed under this facility was also the first to benefit from the funding provided by EIB under EIB Intermediated UK Onshore Wind Scheme.

Jaz is also involved in developing new markets for RES to continue the growth and success of RES globally. Prior to RES, Jaz was with Cinergy Corp for 5 years and with Midlands Electricity for 5years before that where he developed and financed thermal IPPs in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Adam spent 10 years with the law firm McGrigors, where he was a founding director of the firm’s Public Policy practice. He was also a member of the firm’s energy group, where he gained extensive experience in the energy sector.

Prior to Clipper, Mark was a Vice President in Equity Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley where he was a key member of the originations team and also sat on the Firm’s Equity Underwriting Committee. Earlier in his time at Morgan Stanley, he worked in institutional sales in the Institutional Equity Division. He began his career at Arthur Andersen and is a fully-qualified ACA.

Mark is also an advisor to Oxcap Advisors and on the Audit Committee for the British Olympic Association.

As Wind Energy Segment Director, Karen is responsible for the global coordination of all DNV’s wind energy activities out of offices in the US (Seattle, Boston, Houston), Europe (Germany, Norway, Denmark, UK), and Asia (China, Korea, India, Singapore). She is the founder and former CEO of Global Energy Concepts, a US wind energy consulting company that was acquired by DNV in 2008. Karen has over 20 years of experience with wind energy technology and other renewable energy applications. She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Wind Energy Association for over 10 years, holding positions as President of the Board, Chairman of Windpower, and currently, as Membership Committee Chair.

Ms. Conover has conducted wind energy work for projects and programs throughout the U.S. and in over 30 countries. She has authored numerous publications on wind energy technology and applications, and is a frequent speaker at technical meetings, training courses and conferences.

Ms. Conover holds an M.S. in Energy Systems Engineering from the University of Arizona and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science from Duke University. In addition to AWEA, she also serves on the Board of Directors of Women of Wind Energy and the Wind Powering America Strategic Planning Committee

As a Director of ESD she worked on various large consultancy projects for the EU, including the work that formed the based for the EU target, which set targets to double the share of renewable energy from 6% in 1997 to 12% by 2010.
In 1997, she became a founding member of the original group that later became Good Energy Group, and part of the team that procured the electricity license for the Group to start trading renewable power in 1999.

Alain subsequently initiated a Regional Investment Fund «FIP Energies Nouvelles», the first retail fund dedicated to wind power in France.

Before establishing Eolfi, Alain founded the consulting and management firm Transvers dedicated to information technology and renewable energy. Earlier in his entrepreneurial career he created La Compagnie du Lit and Société Européenne d'Agencement (As du Placard).

Alain is a qualified Civil Telecommunications Engineer. He holds an MSc. in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and an MBA from INSEAD.”

He a Chartered Engineer with 22 years of heavy industrial experience, 12 of which have been spent developing and advising on renewable energy projects. He has direct experience of developing wind, landfill gas, small scale hydro, and biomass gained in the UK and Internationally.

Peter worked in project development in the UK, first with Hyder plc. and then with United Utilities Green Energy Limited, developing a pipeline of wind and biomass projects.

Peter has also been involved in the development of small scale hydro and landfill gas projects. From 2005 to the end of 2007, Peter worked with the United Nations Development Programme advising the Ministry of Energy in Kazakhstan on the development of a renewable energy sector in that country, including drafting the new Law on Renewable Energy and assessing proposals for the country’s first commercial wind farm.

Peter has worked in consultancy, carrying out due diligence studies for investors on solar, biomass, hydro and wind projects and supporting start ups in the UK renewable energy sector.

In the past year, Investec has acted as Joint Lead Arranger and Co-Syndication Agent for the $207m senior secured financing for Viento Funding II, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Edison Mission Energy owning 3 US wind farms. In addition, it has lent $26m of mezzanine funding to Kurger Energy's Chatham wind farm on the shores of Lake Ontario. It also funded the costs of development prior to financial close of the 206MW Collgar wind farm located in Merridin in Western Australia, which Investec sold at financial close and is now in construction.

In December 2009, it provided a €25 million loan to a subsidiary of Invenergy secured on wind turbines to be used in Invenergy's Polish projects.

Christian was responsible for the launch of the company and am now overseeing the management of a development team, the establishment and follow-up of partnerships with other developers and the acquisitions of projects or companies

Formerly managing director or Gamesa Energie in France, leading a 25 people development team, Christian have been involved in the renewable business for 10 years.

He has previously worked for various European major energy companies, in different fields (renewables, CHP, energy savings, etc.)

Prior to joining Doughty Hanson, Mr. Grierson was the Group Director for Intel Capital Europe, managing a team responsible for making strategic equity investments, acquisitions and developing new business opportunities for Intel throughout Europe. He and the team together originated and invested in over 35 technology start-up companies, many of which became substantial public companies.

During his 15 year career at Intel he also held the positions of: European Divisional Director for Networking Products with responsibility for sales marketing and product development; European Marketing Director; and Group Systems Engineering Manager. Previously to Intel he worked at AT&T in the Communications Product Division leading a team developing high performance silicon processors, and at Schneider developing industrial process control systems

Mr Grierson graduated with qualifications in telecommunication engineering and electrical engineering. He is an alumnus of Insead Fontainbleau. He lectures on various subjects for the EVCA including Board of Directors, Advance Investment, Intermediate Investment and Policy Development.

Dipak has experience of working with sponsors and developers for the financing of projects across a wide range of sub-sectors within renewable energy including onshore wind, landfill gas, biomass and hydro. In particular he was involved in the structuring and syndicated financing of a renewable energy portfolio including wind and landfill gas, as well as leading funding negotiations on a multi-jurisdiction portfolio of onshore wind farms.

As well as the renewable energy space, Dipak is also involved in PFI/PPP and infrastructure funding at Barclays with a specific focus on the waste and transport sectors.

Rob is a member of the UK Government’s Renewable Advisory Board (RAB) chaired by the Minister of Energy.

For a couple of years he was Senior Vice President for DONG Energy Renewables, responsible for construction and operation of wind farms in the northern part of Europe.

Per Holmgaard is today with Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Group Government Relations, as Senior Power Sector Specialist.

He has advised on transactions across a number of jurisdictions and technologies including advising financial and corporate investors on the acquisition of wind, solar, biomass and LFG businesses in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Italy and Sweden.

Recently, John led the Macquarie team that advised Bord Gàis on the acquisition of SWS Energy, Irelands largest independent renewable energy generator.

In this capacity he has a pan-European responsibility for structured lending transactions in the offshore wind sector. From 2002 to 2007 he worked on a number of EIB project finance transactions in various sectors in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific region. Prior to EIB he worked for the IFC in the energy sector.

He has degrees in Economics/Management from the University of Vienna and International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University.

With its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, Mainstream is active in the development and construction of Onshore and Offshore windfarms in Europe, North America, Chile and South Africa as well as solar development in the US and South Africa.

Prior to joining Mainstream Bernard spent 6 years working for KBC Project Finance in Dublin primarily focused on Infrastructure and Oil & Gas transactions. He has a Bachelor of Commerce undergraduate degree a Masters of Business Studies Postgraduate degree both from University College Cork. Bernard is also a member of the Association of Chartered Management Accountants.

Matthew is a member of the DECC Renewables Advisory Board grid group and the BWEA's offshore grid and offshore strategy groups. He is also Chair of the IET’s Power Systems and Equipment Technical and Professional Network.

Matthew lives in the New Forest with his wife Sharon and their five children.

Honored by the Queen of England in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the international digital technology agenda. John is a graduate of Glasgow University (BSc Engineering) and is a Fellow of both the Institute of Electrical Engineering and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

His focus is on developing and promoting innovative solutions based on new technologies and capabilities. His main area of responsibility in the Met office is the Renewable Energy sector where he works closely with major utilities organisations, smaller renewables developers and operators, significant industry bodies and major management and environmental consultancies in the UK and Europe. The aim is to offer them new and innovative solutions based on key advances in science and technology.

Stephen holds a degree in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Southampton.

Prior to ING, Jean worked at Oliver Wyman, a strategy consulting firm, where he specialised in corporate risk management with a focus on energy companies. Jean started his career at Calyon in the project and export finance department where he was responsible for the Brazilian market. Jean holds an MSc Eng in Chemical Engineering from Ensic Nancy (France) and an MBA from INSEAD. He is a native French speaker and is fluent in English and Spanish and conversant in Portuguese.

Steve has over 13 years experience in the corporate banking arena and prior to joining CCC was a Director with Barclays PFI & Structured Finance Team. In 2001 Steve founded Barclays’ Environmental Services Team with specific responsibility for the financing of renewable energy projects.

In this most recent role he arranged and managed the financing of over 500MW of renewable energy projects across a range of generating technologies and legal jurisdictions.

Dr Retief spent the earlier years of his career designing, constructing and commissioning distilleries and factories, after which he gained experience in the fields of accounting, IT and marketing. Subsequently he was involved in company turnarounds and start-ups at CEO level. Since 1998 he has lived and worked in the UK, Canada and USA. During this time (2003), he joined a Utility Company and has been working in the field of energy since then. This includes being a founder member of a London listed Renewable Energy Company in which he currently holds the position of Development and Marketing Director. He is very active in the UK energy sector and is on the Executive Board of the UK World Energy Council.

Dr Retief holds various directorships, is a member of professional organisations, has been actively involved in education and published a number of technical articles over the years. former Chairman of Barclays Private Clients International Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Barclays Group, and the largest bank in the British "offshore" World.

Peter Rossbach joined Impax in 2003 having been involved in the financing of energy projects since 1983. After working in the US-DoE and various natural gas and electric companies, Peter joined Standard & Poor’s in 1985 as a utility and energy project debt analyst. He has worked in each tier of the capital structure, as well as in development, spending three years with the American developer Catalyst Energy developing and financing over 650MW ($1 billion) of Sector projects, and five years in Project Finance at Mitsui Bank, as senior lender to the Sector and other energy projects.

In the 1990s, Peter was appointed by the US Government as Senior Investment Adviser to the EBRD, where he led Sector investments in Eastern Europe. From 1997-2000, he joined the Asian Mezzanine Infrastructure Fund, a power and infrastructure investment fund that made successful investments in the Sector.

Peter has a BA from Harvard College and a Master’s degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where he studied utility regulation/finance.

Impax Asset Management Group plc is a leading specialist energy and environmental markets investor. Impax was founded in 1994 and manages €$2 billion across a range of pooled listed vehicles, private equity, and segregated accounts.

Miguel's previous experience includes the Latin America Division of the World Bank, and the Strategy and Corporate Development Department at Telefónica Latin America.

Miguel is an industrial engineer and holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and a MA in International Economics from Stanford University.

When working for TOTAL, Clémentine led the structuring of the Qatofin petrochemicals project (US$1.2G) in Qatar as well as the QVC refinancing (US$600M). She was also involved in other structured finance projects in Algeria, Qatar, China and Russia.

Since Clémentine joined Dexia, she has been involved in a number of transactions including the closing of Nakilat tranch II, the closing of the Exeltium transaction (april 2010)and two deals closed in the difficult conditions of the second half of 2008: the Babcock&Brown French wind portfolio (France, 164MW, EUR 205 M) and the Vader Piet wind farm (Aruba, USD 60M, 30MW, involving EKF).

Most recently, Clémentine has worked on the Belwind offshore wind farm in Belgium (165MW) which closed at the end of July 2009. She was part of the negotiations of the TSA and SAA with Vestas Offshore with a lender point of view, and was involved in the structuring of the financing and particularly in discussions with EIB and EKF. Clémentine has also been in charge of the financing of the acquisition by Axa Private Equity of a French wind portfolio (164MW) which closed in July 2009, and of the financing of a 44MW onshore windportfolio in France which closed at the end of January 2010. She is also involved in two ongoing financial advisory / arranging mandates awarded to Dexia for offshore wind projects located in Germany and Belgium.

Since its inception in early 2008, RWE Innogy has completed more than 20 M&A transactions. Key acquisitions were in Offshore Wind in Germabny, the UK and Belgium, Onshore Wind in Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and Romania and biomass projects in the UK and Germany. Markus has over 15 years of experience in corporate finance and M&A. Prior to joining RWE Innogy, Markus worked for HSBC and Bank of America in London and Frankfurt. Markus studied Business Administration in Marburg, Germany and Virginia, USA.

Prior to joining Emerald, Charles held the position of Vice President with ABB Equity Ventures. Previous to ABB, Charles led the business development activities of the cogeneration business of National Power PLC, a large UK electric utility, and has ten years of power utility experience, both engineering and commerce in the fields of renewable energy and thermal energy plants.

He currently serves on the Boards of Emergya Wind Technologies, Senscient and River Basin Energy.

Charles graduated with a Bachelor degree with Honours in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and a Master of Business Administration.

Prior to that, he was Project Division Director in Gamesa Energy Services, responsible for all construction activity in Gamesa, including wind farms, CHP plants, thermal dryers, biomass, special gases and photovoltaic solar plants. Before joining Gamesa, he was Chief Operation Officer of Sinae Energía Y Medioambiente, where he oversaw the technical and economical management of the 47 energy production SPVs.