GPFAC Team Members

Alok has more than 30 years of experience in project finance in the US, India and Switzerland. Was head of ABB Financial Services India (equity, debt underwriting, advisory) and a member of ABB’s Country Management Committee; member of the management team at ABB’s HQ’s in Zurich that grew ABB’s financial advisory business to 140 professionals in 18 countries, closing $5 billion/year; and a member of ABB’s Management Committee responsible for approving equity investments worldwide.

Alok has a BS in Chemical Engineering with Honors, (IIT, India); MS Chemical Engineering (SUNY/Buffalo); and MBA with Distinction (New York University). Speaks English, Hindi (mother tongue), some German, and several Indian languages.

Ruth has over 28 years of experience successfully financing and developing infrastructure projects predominantly in Africa, and also in the Middle East, Europe and Asia, covering the power sector, transportation, and oil & gas. Several projects developed were the first private infrastructure projects in the country (including India, Ivory Coast, Mali and South Africa). Held senior positions at ABB, a family office, and a start-up. Amongst other current projects, is a developer, financial advisor, Board Member and Owner of an infrastructure project in West Africa, Albatros Energy (https://aem-sa.com/about/our-board-of-directors/).

Ruth has an MBA in Banking from the University of St. Gallen CH; Exec. Master’s in Corporate Finance from the University of Applied Sciences in Lucerne CH. Speaks German (mother tongue), English, French, and Swedish.

Srinagesh has been a Sponsor, Investor and Financial Advisor in India and Hong Kong. 36-year career with National Thermal Power Corporation, ABB Financial Services (Head South Asia), Hyderabad International Airport (CEO) and Pragnya Private Equity Fund (CEO).  Diverse experience in project finance, project development and private equity. On the Boards of Directors of Indian companies and on the Investment Committee of Utthishta Virat Fund; and is an adjunct Professor at IIT and IBS, India.

Srinagesh has a BS in Chemical Engineering from IIT, India, and an MBA from IIM, India. Speaks English (principal language) and several Indian languages.

Minna has extensive project finance experience as former VP at ABB Financial Services Zurich, successfully closed projects in Asia (including a pioneering $1.1 billion hydro project in China, and structured a Power Development Fund for World Bank that is used to invest in small hydro projects in Nepal), Europe and Africa (a major gas development project). Has managed process and systems control as well as optimization, and has expertise in financial reporting and business analytics.

Minna has a MSc in Management from L’Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (Paris), a BA in Business Admin from Chinese University of Hong Kong (China) and is a fellow at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK). Speaks Mandarin (mother tongue), English, German and French.

Tracey has closed around $5.5 billion of projects in the areas of renewable energy, power generation, power T&D, oil-gas-and-petrochemicals, automotive, building & systems automation, and telecommunications in Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Latin America.  Over 28 years of experience, with ABB Financial Services, EIC Partners, private equity funds and independently, in project finance, infrastructure investments, portfolio management, and advisory services. Recently closed a large hydrogen storage project with a $500 million U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee, and advised on ENEC’s $30 billion Barakah project in Abu Dhabi.

Tracey has a MSc in Global Finance (Intl. MBA) from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona and a BA (cum Laude) in International Studies from the University of West Florida. Speaks English (mother tongue), German and Spanish.

Roger McDaniel has more than thirty years of financing, advisory and modeling experience, primarily in energy finance and project finance, with experience as a project finance and energy investment banker, a lender, a consultant to the US Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program, and an attorney, although he is no longer practicing law. Roger’s clients have come from a number of industries, including ethanol, biomass, regulated and unregulated power, transportation, water, and wastewater. Advised clients on a variety of financing types, ranging from a $10 million venture capital financing to a $1.4 billion independent power project financing.

Roger received a B.A. in Philosophy from Stanford University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.

Ananth has closed around $10 billion of projects in the areas of oil & gas, LNG, power T&D, mining and transportation in the US and Latin America, during stints with ABB Financial Services, GE Structured Finance and Mizuho Corporate Bank, all in the New York City area. Over 22+ years, worked on marquee projects such as the Panama Canal Expansion and the Manzanillo LNG Project, gaining experience in project finance structuring and advisory, modelling, portfolio management, and also as a tech-entrepreneur.

Ananth has a MBA from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Commerce from Loyola College (India). He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and speaks English, Hindi, Spanish, and a few South Indian languages.

Rahul has over 40 years of successful business experience in Marketing, Finance, Management, Innovation, Strategy Development and M&A, with expertise in working with senior management teams to help and support them in creating value, in the USA, Europe, and Asia. MD and Partner in Icon Investment Partners, a special acquisition & management company, as well as board member and senior advisor to several businesses including startups, and a Managing Member of Ark Capital Investments, a family LLC that is a limited partner in several private equity funds and investor in startups. Prior experience with several Fortune 500 companies including Unilever, Dow Chemical, and Aearo Technologies/3M.

Rahul has a BS in Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology; MBA in Marketing and Finance, Indian Institute of Management; Post-graduate Diploma in Marketing, New York University; and completed the Executive Development Program, London School of Economics.

Victor has a Post-Grad degree in Business Administration – Finance from CEAG – FGV and Business Administration from FAAP. Speaks Portuguese (mother tongue), English and Spanish (fluent), French and German (basic).

Jim led the Credit Origination team at the Loan Programs Office of the US Department of Energy, closing $24 billion in renewable and advanced technology energy projects. VP in Risk management for Philip Morris Capital Corp; MD and SVP at the division of GE Capital – responsible for domestic energy project finance transactions.

Jim has a BA in Government (Hamilton College); MS in Resource Management & Policy (SUNY); and an MBA in Finance (Cornell).

Paul led the UBS project finance group in Zurich, and then headed a team of analysts for the Credit Origination team at the US Department of Energy that closed over $24 billion of energy and industrial project transactions. Developed independent power projects at Entergy Corporation, structured debt financing at GE Capital, and has experience with numerous investor-owned utilities as a consultant for Booz Allen.

Paul has a BS in Economics from Georgetown University, MSc in Business from George Washington University; additional courses work in accounting.

Gabriel is a seasoned private equity, corporate and project finance executive. Experienced in diverse industry segments with emphasis on sustainable investments and infrastructure (e.g., waste-to-value; renewable energy, fuels and materials; forestry and agriculture; water, telecommunications and transport). He has worked in developed and emerging markets (particularly Latin America), including full-cycle principal investing (from origination, through evaluation, structuring and monitoring to exits) and through entire range of capital instruments (equity, mezzanine and senior lending). He has acted as principal, responsible for $270 million in equity, and has advised on over $1 billion project finance, senior debt and/or grant financing, mostly relating to climate-smart projects.  He has experience with Government project finance support, such as the US Department of Energy and US Department of Agriculture, as well as global and regional Development Finance Institutions.

Gabriel has an MBA from Georgetown University (Washington DC), and a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia).  He is a native Spanish speaker and is fluent in English.

Senior Municipal and Project finance professional with over 40 years of significant experience in public finance. Registered Municipal Advisor and Municipal Advisor Principal having executed as either underwriter or financial advisor over $100 billion in municipal debt instruments.  Served as senior Financial Policy Advisor in the TIFIA Credit Program of the USDOT for over 17 years.  Closed 22 financings totaling over $9.6 billion in TIFIA direct loans providing financing for over $31 billion of nationally significant infrastructure, including several marquee P3 projects.  Provided municipal finance expertise in the development of the USDOT’s Private Activity Bond Program.

Cheryl has worked throughout the US providing clients with pragmatic and innovative financing solutions and exceptionally strong negotiation skills.  MBA in finance and accounting from Columbia University Graduate School of Business, Ed.M. with a focus on management from Harvard University Graduate School of Education; BLS from Boston University with an emphasis on management of urban organizations.

Lightpost Energy is an independent development, construction, and advisory firm specializing in energy infrastructure and transportation electrification. The firm provides a comprehensive range of consulting and advisory services to government, private equity, corporate, and non-profit customers related to project development and construction, market analysis, financial analysis, negotiation, underwriting, evaluation of credit risks, financial modeling, and execution of debt and equity investments.

https://www.lightpostenergy.com/

Dan has a decade of experience developing, financing, and investing in several billion dollars of U.S. energy infrastructure, spanning a broad range of structures with domestic and international partners. Prior to Lightpost, worked at Houlihan Lokey, Morgan Stanley, GE Ventures (energy venture division), and most recently as Head of U.S. Low Carbon at Bechtel Enterprises, the investment and development arm of Bechtel Corporation. Also worked at the U.S. Department of Energy LPO Origination Division, financing Title 17 renewable energy and Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing projects.

Dan has an MPA in Energy Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Joseph has spent the past decade in management consulting specializing in energy and utilities, with additional experience in international development.  Prior to Lightpost, held senior roles at Accenture’s Utilities Strategy Practice focused on smart grid strategy, clean energy transition, transportation electrification, and infrastructure planning, where he has advised Fortune 100 electric utility companies on power transmission/distribution and customer strategies.

Joseph has an MPA in Social and Urban Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from Morehouse College.

Trevor has a decade of experience in U.S. real estate investment and development, with transaction experience totaling approx. $2 billion of projects, focused on value-add projects with development or structural complexity. Worked through acquisitions and development roles for established firms active in Los Angeles including the Ratkovich Company, Lowe Enterprises, DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners, and most recently Cottonwood Management.

Trevor has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and a BS in Finance from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).