Paddy Padmanathan, a Civil Engineering graduate of the University of Manchester with over 40 years of experience, has served ACWA Power from 2005 as this Saudi Arabian company focused on reliably delivering electricity and desalinated water at the lowest possible cost, grew from a start-up, to now operating in 13 countries with a portfolio of assets of an investment value in excess of USD 50 billion that can generate 34+ GW of power and produce 5.9 million m3 /day of desalinated water delivered on a bulk basis to credit worthy off-takers on long term contracts.

With considerable experience in developing infrastructure in two dozen countries, Paddy Padmanathan is implementing a strategy of not seeking to market price the generated electricity or produced potable water but to focus on minimizing cost and recovering a reasonable risk reflective return, which has consolidated ACWA Power’s reputation for driving down the cost of renewable energy and desalinated water and setting ever lower tariff bench marks.

Utilizing the long term investor mind-set of the company, Paddy Padmanathan has shaped the ACWA Power’s business model to not only drive the acceleration of the decarbonisation of the power and desal water sectors but also to promoting localisation of technology and industrialisation of the emerging economies in which it invests on the back of implementing such investments and in developing local communities within which the facilities are located.

In addition to his leadership role at ACWA Power, Mr. Padmanathan serves on the Board of Directors of several power and water service providing companies including Desolenator BV, a start-up that is developing solutions to address the potable water supply challenge to serve the 800+ million people who currently lack access to potable water and X-Links Ltd, another start-up working on establishing the feasibility of a 4000+ Km under sea direct power cable between Morocco and United Kingdom to supply renewable energy at cost competitive tariff.