Paddy Padmanathan is a globally recognized infrastructure strategist and climate investment leader, renowned for his transformative impact on energy and water development across emerging markets. With over 40 years of experience spanning engineering, project finance, construction management and executive leadership, Mr. Padmanathan has played a pivotal role in reshaping how nations approach sustainable infrastructure.

As the founding CEO and later Vice Chairman of ACWA Power, Mr. Padmanathan led the company from its inception in 2005 into a world-class developer, investor, and operator of power generation and desalinated water production facilities and by 2023 when he retired, the company had developed assets producing 42 GW of power and 6.4 million m3 /day of desalinated water in 13 countries and a plant in construction to produce 240,000 tons/year of green hydrogen at Saudi Arabia, a portfolio of US$ 75 Billion and a company employing over 4000 people.

Post retirement, he is now an investor and Director and/or an advisor to several technology, construction and development ventures including Xlinks Ltd and Zhero BV, both developing renewable energy solutions at scale, generating both electrons and molecules.  He is also an Advisory Board Member at Dii Desert Energy.