Our Leadership Team

Guiding vision,
driving excellence.

Our visionary Board of Directors leads us towards remarkable outcomes, while our high-performing management team guides experts in Data centers, Technology, Renewable Energy, Cooling, and Water industries. 

CHAIRMAN

Paddy Padmanathan

An industry veteran with 35+ years of experience, Paddy Padmanathan served as the President & CEO of ACWA Power from its startup phase 18 years ago to what it is today, a globally recognized leading developer, investor, and operator of power generation, water desalination, and green hydrogen plants, valued at US$75 billion at the forefront of energy transition and desalinated water production and now listed on the Saudi stock exchange with a market capitalization of circa US$30 billion.

Mr. Padmanathan stepped down from his position at ACWA Power in March 2023 to focus on new ventures to address the accelerating need to decarbonize human endeavour and to address the looming potable water crisis in both existing and emerging sectors. As part of this focus on sustainability, Mr. Padmanathan has stepped into the role of Chairman at DataVolt.

In addition to DataVolt, Mr. Padmanathan is also the Vice Chairman at Xlinks and Zhero BV and Chairman at Desolenator BV – All vehicles focused on a sustainable and green future.

BOARD MEMBER

Mohammad Abunayyan

With over 40 years of experience in the power, water, and other sectors, Mohammad Abunayyan is Chairman of Vision Invest, ACWA Power, and Saudi Tabreed. He is on the board of several other reputed organizations in Saudi Arabia, regionally, and globally.

An accomplished business leader, Mr. Abunayyan has championed the value-adding role of the private sector in delivering sustainable, cost-effective, localized, and transformative partnerships across various infrastructure sectors, with a strong focus on technological innovation and operational excellence.

BOARD MEMBER

Omar AlMidani

Omar N. AlMidani, a Board Member of DataVolt, holds the prestigious positions of President, Chief Executive Officer, and Board Member of Vision Invest. Vision Invest’s affiliates and subsidiaries thrive under his leadership, with a strong operational presence spanning Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Mr. AlMidani actively contributes as a Board Member to esteemed companies such as ACWA Power, Saudi Tabreed, Air Products Qudra, and Miahona. His extensive experience and strategic vision enable him to excel in forward-planning, financial discipline, deadline-driven administration, and modern leadership practices.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Rajit Nanda

Rajit Nanda is an accomplished global leader in the energy & infrastructure industry. He holds an MBA from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, India, and pursued an Advanced Management Program (AMP) from INSEAD. As the former Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer & Chief Portfolio Management Officer of ACWA Power, he drove the company’s global growth over a decade and a half through his expertise in new business development, acquisitions, finance, construction, and operational matters to an eventual US$ 30+ billion listing in the stock market. Prior to that, Mr. Nanda was the CFO of Engie for the Middle East, Asia & Africa, where he helped catapult Engie from a single asset business to becoming the largest I(W)PP player in the Middle East and Africa region.

Mr. Nanda is a catalyst of positive impact and is passionate about inspiring innovation and embracing purpose amidst change. He also sits on the Board and Executive and Investment Committees of several large listed and non-listed power and infrastructure investment companies.

CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER

Tom Teerlynck

Tom Teerlynck is a highly experienced professional in the power and water sector, with a career spanning 25 years. He has held positions with global sector leaders such as ACWA Power and Engie. Mr. Teerlynck has been at the helm of successful entry and growth endeavors across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

He has spearheaded the origination and development of projects valued at over USD 40 billion. He has focused on critical and pioneering initiatives, aiming to bring about transformative impacts on companies, customers, and countries. Mr. Teerlynck emphasizes on sustainability, efficiency, cost reduction, and speed to market. His strategic planning abilities, project development proficiency, and market expansion knowledge allows Mr. Teerlynck to tackle complex challenges and drive industry-transforming growth.

CHIEF FUTURE AND
SOLUTIONS OFFICER

Dr. Andrea Lovato

Dr. Andrea Lovato has a Ph.D. in Manufacturing Engineering and is acknowledged as a global industry-expert with several publications over 20 years of proven experience in power, hydrogen, and desalination.

Previously, Dr. Lovato was the Global Head of Hydrogen and Head of Renewables at ACWA Power since 2009, where he closed US$30bn worth of projects in power and hydrogen technologies in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER

Sangram Khuntia

Sangram Khuntia has a strong technical experience of over 27 years across the energy sector focusing on development, construction and operation across all technologies. As the Executive VP at ACWA Power, Mr. Khuntia led a 40-member strong techno-commercial team delivering over 40 GW of power and over 4 million m3 / day of desalination projects.

Prior to ACWA Power, Mr. Khuntia was the General Manager at AES India Ltd, overseeing Business Development activities across India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and the Middle Eastern Markets.

HEAD OF INVESTMENTS
AND FINANCING

Thomas John

Thomas John is a highly experienced professional in the energy and infrastructure industry with over 20 years of experience. He holds an MBA in Finance from the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines, and a Mechanical Engineering degree.

Prior to joining DataVolt, Mr. John led KPMG’s Infrastructure and Debt Advisory division in the Lower Gulf and was a key member of their Global Infrastructure Group. He has advised on several large deals across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, that have achieved financial close in excess of USD 10 billion across sectors including Utilities, Transport, and Social Infrastructure. As the head of investments and financing, he combines his technical knowledge with financial acumen, to spearhead the financing of best-in-class digital infrastructure.

VP - People and Culture

Anurita Andurkar Joshi

Anurita Andurkar Joshi is a seasoned People and Culture executive with over 20 years of experience across the Middle East, North America, and Asia. She brings in a wealth of experience from her career that spans from consulting firms to start-ups. Prior to DataVolt, Mrs. Joshi was Senior Advisor and Regional Head at Devoteam Middle East – a French technology consulting firm. Based in Dubai and Riyadh, she led the HR function for over 600 employees, expertly aligning Human Capital strategy with corporate objectives. Before joining DataVolt, she enriched her portfolio at Convergys CMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, showcasing her versatile and impactful approach to HR leadership.

VP – Risk, Compliance
& Digital Services

Manish Madhok

Manish Madhok is a highly experienced professional with over 25 years of expertise in audit and risk management. He holds a Master’s in Finance and possesses a multitude of certifications, including Chartered Accountant, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Information Systems Auditor, and Certified Risk Management Professional from prestigious institutes in India, Australia, the US, and the UK. Furthermore, he has obtained a Certificate in Company Director from the Institute of Directors in the UK.

Passionate about delivering strategic insights and enhancing organizational resilience, Mr. Madhok is committed to ensuring adherence to industry best practices. He leverages his extensive skill set to contribute to the success and growth of DataVolt.

CEO, North America
& Advisor to Group CEO

Nava Akkineni

Nava Akkineni is CEO, North America and advisor to group CEO of DataVolt. Mr Akkineni is formally trained in the field of engineering and has decades of experience in global sales and as an entrepreneur. With proven leadership and commercial experience in cutting-edge technology and innovation companies, Mr. Akkineni has led global commercial teams and secured worldwide deals for Acer, Chip Logic, Analog Devices, Solar Semiconductor, Nextracker and more.

Most notably, Mr. Akkineni ran emerging market business development for the world’s first dual core communication processors Involving complex semiconductors. A veteran of the solar Industry for close to two decades, Mr Akkineni is also the USEXIM Chair Advisory Committee member on the Council for Climate Change and is a passionate and fervent advocate of renewable energy, climate technology solutions and digital infrastructure. He earned his master’s degree in M.Sc. (Tech.) Engineering Physics- Electronics from the National Institute of Technology in Warangal, India.