Board of Directors

Mr Hiten Parmar

Executive Director: the electric MISSION (South Africa)

Hiten Parmar is a seasoned expert and distinguished thought leader, holding over 20 years of professional experience. He plays a pivotal role as a liaison for various sector-related forums both locally and internationally, championing the advancement of the electric mobility ecosystem.

Encompassed with a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and an Honours in Business Administration, Hiten is mission driven on the technological progress within the global industry.

His vision extends to a world characterized by sustainable and equitable mobility and energy systems, a vision he fulfils as the Executive Director of The Electric Mission in South Africa.

Paul Vermeulen

Paul Vermeulen (City Power Johannesburg). Paul joined the Johannesburg City Council Electricity Department in 1980 as a trainee technician, qualifying with a Higher National Diploma in Electrical Engineering, Light Current, in 1984. Starting as a Telecommunications Technician, his career progressed to include substation tele-control with its evolution into SCADA systems. He managed the full SCADA function for a period of ten years, with the inclusion of load management in the form of centralised ripple control systems into his portfolio.

This was his introduction to demand side management. DSM, EE, alternative energy sources and energy storage have since become key aspects of electricity distribution, and are driving the evolution of the industry. He currently holds the relatively new post of Chief Engineer: Renewable Energy at City Power, and in 2014 completed the BSc (Hons) degree in Energy Studies at UJ.

He is also presently a Board member and Chairman of the Policy and Regulation committee of SAESA, the Southern African Energy Storage Association. 

Avesh Padayachee

Avesh is the CEO of Fibon Energy (Fibon), a company that develops renewable energy projects.  Fibon is a developer and asset manager of Solar PV projects for the commercial and industrial sectors in South Africa.  Avesh has extensive expertise in Solar Power Purchase Agreements and strong experience in building embedded generation projects integrating storage capacity.

Prior to founding Fibon, Avesh worked as an Attorney in Corporate Law at Webber Wentzel (Linklaters) in South Africa advising companies in the energy, oil and gas and financial services industries.

He has worked in the United States and in India focused on venture capital funding of early-stage companies. In 2017, Avesh was recognised as a Future Energy Leader by the World Energy Council (WEC) and is a member of 100 young professionals whom are committed to shaping the global energy future. Avesh is dedicated and committed to improving energy access in Africa at an affordable cost.

Theo Fischer

Theo Fischer is managing director of EScience Associates, an environmental and energy consultancy specialising in climate, cleaner and renewable energy as well as environmental and energy resource economics. 

He is a registered Professional Natural Scientist and has 20 years of experience in a variety of specialist advisory roles, is a SAESA board member serving on Storage Technology and Policy and Regulation Committees. 

He has a keen interest environmental and socioeconomic effects energy sector and making informed and defensible energy transition decisions.

Mikhail Nikomarov

Experience

Over 15 years of international business experience in energy and finance, including as CEO and co-founder of Bushveld Energy since 2015. Seven years with McKinsey & Company in Moscow and Johannesburg, advising national governments, utilities and manufacturers on growth strategy and policy and leading operational turnarounds in the energy sector. Three years as Portfolio Manager at Sovereign Bank, USA (now Santander Bank). Chairman of the Board, South African Energy Storage Association. Chair, Energy Storage Committee, Vanitec (the global association of vanadium producers

Qualifications

BA (History) and BA (Economics) from University of Massachusetts. Diploma in Economics from London School of Economics. MBA from INSEAD.

Jo Dean

B Eng. Mech Plant Process, B Eng. Env & Sus, Pr. Eng. , CRM Carbon Project Reduction Specialist

Trained and qualified in both SA and Illinois, her roots remain African.

Board Member of SAIEE, SAREC, and SAESA, Spokesperson for SAESA and Vice Chair of SAREC,Vice Chair  SAIEEE Storage Chapter, and Member of numerous Energy and Carbon Committees with Government on Renewable Energy, Storage , Decarbonisation, and GHG Targets all spilling into the Just Energy Transition

18 years experience in design and construction of process and flow control plants in the Mining Sector. In 2000, inspired by Attenborough; Bloomberg; Ban Ki Moon and, Figueres and her Intrinsic need to make a difference to the world she joined the Chamber of Commerce overseeing government relationships and LED development, while furthering her studies in environmental engineering, specialising in waste, water and energy disciplines coupled to Carbon Reduction Project Development (Illinois and GHG Protocol). Armed with “practical knowledge” the once “wannabe activist” evolved into a strategist in developing carbon reduction projects in the waste and energy spaces She is currently driving decarbonisation project development mainly in South Africa and the SADC. From the energy sector she is championing the Nascent Disruptor Energy Storage in Africa, which has the greatest potential for unlocking the value chain and localisation for Africa.

Her belief: “the rationale underlying the nascent endeavour of a green economy for developing countries, is that the market SHOULD become the vehicle for tackling the environmental crises of climate change, and that Africa can and will make a quantum leap as opposed to the “trapped” Annex 1 world powers that cannot be due to their historical industrial choices made

Davin Chown

(B.Comm , DPLR (UNISA SBL), Master in Management (Wits), and Master in Sustainable Ecological Management (UP)

Davin has led the Genesis Group since 2001 and is responsible for the strategic and operational direction of the business. He has been in the renewable energy industry since 1998. He has a B.Comm (UP), DPLR (UNISA), M.Inst (Agrar)(UP), and Master of Management(MM)(Wits).

He has been actively involved in establishing a number of RE industry associations since 2009. He currently serves on the board of the SA Energy Storage Association and represents SAESA on the SA Renewable Energy Council, having helped establish SAREC.

From 2012 to 2019 he was Chairperson of the SA PV Industry Association, having been a founder member and serving as its Spokesperson. He served on the SAWEA Board in 2009/2010. Davin served on various industry and Government energy and sustainability advisory bodies.

Sherwin Harris

Sherwin Harris, TED talker and a seasoned developer of renewable, thermal, and hybrid energy projects. Sherwin is currently leading the development of a state-of-the-art Renewable hybrid project in SA comprising of 155MWp PV, ~90MW Wind, and ~250MWh BESS project on behalf of Engie.

Sherwin is an experienced operations engineer, project manager, and strategist, having led the electrical activities of Sasol 2 and Sasol 3’s Refinery operations before setting up and leading the Sasol Strategy Execution department.  

He has a successful track record in developing nascent technologies in new markets and has led the development of GE’s Energy Storage business in SSA. 

Jamila A Kombe

Jamila A. Kombe is an accomplished power systems and energy professional engineer with over 21 years of experience in the Southern and Eastern Africa energy sector. Her leadership is informed by a personal and professional understanding of local and regional contexts and their impact on energy program implementation. 

She has extensive knowledge of power systems analysis, and her successful track record as an electrical engineer has prepared her to effectively lead USAID-funded Power Africa’s East Africa Energy Program (EAEP), focusing on increased regional power trade covering 10 countries in East Africa.