Six key figures leading the development of the power sector in the region: Alex Katon, Paddy Padmanathan, Steve Walsh, Jun-Yeon Byun, Tang Kin Fei and Shankar Krishnamoorthy
Alex Katon
Position Senior business developer, International Power
Biography Alex Katon is senior business developer at UK-based International Power, having joined the company in 2006. Based in Abu Dhabi, Katon is currently working as the lead developer for the Bizerte independent power project (IPP) in Tunisia and the Safi IPP project in Morocco. He was previously lead developer for the AES Oasis portfolio acquisition and the Mmamabula power project in South Africa. Before this, Katon was business development director for Africa at Globeleq, a firm he helped establish with the power assets of its parent, the UK-based CDC Group. Previously, Katon worked for CDC’s private equity team as general manager of the Zambia Venture Capital Fund in Lusaka making loan and equity investments for CDC in West and East Africa. He is a qualified chartered accountant, with a degree in economics and accountancy from Newcastle University in the UK.
Contact Tel: (+971) 2 627 7500
Paddy Padmanathan
Position President and chief executive officer (CEO), Acwa Power
Biography Paddy Padmanathan joined Riyadh-based Acwa Power in 2005. He is currently president and CEO of the company. Padmanathan has extensive experience working on power, water and wastewater projects in Saudi Arabia and in the region. In addition to his executive responsibilities at Acwa Power, Padmanathan also serves on the board of several companies in the power and water sector. Prior to joining Acwa Power, he worked with the US’ Black & Veatch for 23 years. During this time, he was involved in design and construction of infrastructure to managing business units at 10 international locations. Padmanathan holds a bachelor’s of science degree in civil engineering from University of Manchester in the UK. He also has a post graduate qualification in engineering management from University of Lancaster, also in the UK.
Contact Tel: (+966) 1 473 4400
Steve Walsh
Position President, AES Middle East
Biography Steve Walsh is vice-president of US-based AES Corporation and president of AES Middle East. Walsh joined AES in 1999, working in both the distribution and generation sectors. In 2001, he was selected to lead AES’s business operations in Bogota, Colombia. In 2004, Walsh was recalled to active military service to manage the rebuilding of the electricity sector in Iraq by the US mission in Baghdad. He served in this capacity until June 2005. In June 2006, he became president of AES Ukraine, managing two distribution companies. In March 2009, he assumed responsibility for all of AES’ operations in the Middle East, with power stations in Oman, Jordan, Pakistan, and Qatar. Prior to joining AES, Walsh served as an US Marine officer for 20 years. Walsh is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, Strayer University and Harvard Business School’s advanced management programme.
Contact Tel: (+971) 4 332 9699
Jun-Yeon Byun
Position Executive vice-president of the UAE nuclear division, Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco)
Biography Based in South Korea, Jun-Yeon Byun heads up the division that will build Abu Dhabi’s nuclear power project. Between 1984-87, Byun worked as a manager on Kepco’s Younggwang nuclear project in South Korea. After working in Kepco’s US offices for the next three years, Byun returned to managing the Younggwang plant in 1990. Byun joined Kepco’s Kedo Nuclear Power Project Department in 1995 and worked for 12 years before becoming vice-president of Kepco’s overseas nuclear projects department. He later became senior vice-president, before taking up his current position in January. Byun has a degree in electrical engineering from Korea University. He completed an advanced management programme at Chungang University in South Korea and an advanced industrial strategy programme at Seoul National University.
Contact Tel: (+82) 2 3456 3114
Tang Kin Fei
Position President and CEO, Sembcorp
Biography Tang Kin Fei was appointed president and CEO of Singapore’s Sembcorp in May 2005. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the firm’s energy, water and marine groups. Sembcorp participated in two major independent water and power projects (IWPPs) in the region – the Fujairah 1 IWPP in the UAE and Salalah IWPP in Oman. It has been prequalified to bid for Saudi Arabia’s Qurrayah independent power project. Fei is deputy chairman of International Enterprise Singapore, a member of the Apec Business Advisory Council and president of the Singapore Water Association. As a council member of the Singapore Business Federation, he serves on the China-Singapore, Saudi-Singapore and Abu Dhabi-Singapore business councils. Fei holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Singapore and completed the advanced management programme at Insead.
Contact Tel: (+65) 6723 3113
Shankar Krishnamoorthy
Position Chief executive officer (CEO), GDF Suez
Biography Shankar Krishnamoorthy became CEO of France’s GDF Suez in January 2009. He joined the company in 1997. Krishnamoorthy has more than 25 years’ experience in the energy sector in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. He served as CEO of the group’s Indian operations in Bangalore and chief business developer for Asia and Africa in Bangkok. He has worked on portfolio rationalisation through divestments in India, Singapore and South Korea and the restructuring and share sale of GDF Suez’s Thailand assets. In January 2007, he was appointed executive vice-president and head of business development for the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and India, and became general delegate for GDF Suez in the UAE and Oman. GDF Suez is currently the largest international developer in the Middle East power market by equity volume, having developed projects in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain.
Contact Tel: (+971) 4 3184 500
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