Paddy Padmanathan is the former CEO and President of ACWA Power (2007-2023) who led the company from the startup phase as a private company with 5 staff to now employing 3500 people and listed on the Saudi stock exchange with a market cap of c. $50bn. A leading global developer, owner & operator of power generation and desalinated water production plants, a portfolio in value of US$75 Billion in 13 countries and now also the co-developer of the world’s first at scale green hydrogen plant.

Recognizing the ever increasing gap between ambition and action in the much needed energy transition the world has embarked on and the increasing shortage of potable water supply to a cater for a rapidly rising demand, Paddy has co-founded a few ventures including, Zhero BV to develop lighthouse projects in renewable energy generation and transmission, green hydrogen production and conveyance all at-scale and to champion the establishment of industrial clusters at optimum locations of green energy production and Desolenator BV, a technology company to deliver potable water supply solutions at small scale “fuelled” with entirely renewable energy and utilizing no chemicals or consumables to produce potable water to serve the unserved and undeserved at remote locations.

Paddy is a Civil Engineering graduate of University of Manchester, UK and prior to joining ACWA Power, served as VP and Corporate Officer at Black and Veatch a US Headquartered engineer constructor for over a decade.