H.E. Kgalema Motlanthe

Chairman of the Advisory Committee

HIS EXCELLENCY KGALEMA MOTLANTHE was the President of the Republic of South Africa from September 2008 and May 2009 and Deputy President of South Africa from May 2009 to May 2014 and. Upon his inauguration as President, the late President Mandela summarized the personality and stature of Motlanthe as follows:

We have known you for a long time and you are eminently deserving of this high honor. You are a quiet, firm and principled leader, one who puts reason above emotions and one who seeks to unite rather than divide. We know that our country is in good hands with you at the helm of government.

His Excellency is also known for his commitment to public causes and for his dedication to always keeping a low public and political profile.

DR. TALEB ABDIVAL

MEMBER OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

DR. TALEB ABDIVAL is CEO of E2M in Nouakchott, Mauritania. E2M was created in 2014 by a group of well-known African professionals with the aim delivering innovative solutions to African Governments in the field of energy.

He was former Mauritanian Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, former CEO of SNIM (the National Industrial and Mining Company of Mauritania), Former Director General of SOMELEC (the Mauritanian National Power Company), Former Coordinator of Exploration Projects for West Africa & North Africa at Rio Tinto, and former Senior Geologist and Exploration Manager for North Africa at Ashton Mining. Professor at the University of Nouakchott, PhD in Geology from the University of Nancy I (France).Former Mauritanian Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, former CEO of SNIM (the National Industrial and Mining Company of Mauritania), Former Director General of SOMELEC (the Mauritanian National Power Company), Former Coordinator of Exploration Projects for West Africa & North Africa at Rio Tinto, Former Senior Geologist and Exploration Manager for North Africa at Ashton Mining. Professor at the University of Nouakchott, PhD in Geology from the University of Nancy I (France).

DR. WALEED ALNUMAY

MEMBER OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

DR. WALEED ALNUMAY is Associate Professor and Adviser to the Vice Rector of Learning and Academic Affairs, King Saud University, Riyadh. His primary research interests include artificial intelligence and computer networks, distributed computing, information-centric networking and ICT in sustainability. Dr Alnumay has wide knowledge of project development and management.

He has earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from King Saud University and the University of Atlanta, USA, respectively. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Oklahoma, USA, in 2004. He has published widely in academic journals.

MR. TERRY FRY

MEMBER OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MR. TERRY FRY is Executive Vice President, Global Energy Strategy, Cadmus Group, a leading American strategic and technical consultancy helping to solve the world’s most challenging problems. Cadmus deploys a team of more than 1200 professionals from permanent offices in Europe, North America, and Asia, as well as more than two dozen project offices globally. Its staff have experience working around the world, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, other Gulf states (UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman), and other Middle East countries (Jordan, Egypt).  

Mr Fry delivers energy system economics, clean energy, and intelligent grid solutions to public and private energy sector organizations. He has served as advisor on energy industry restructuring policies and regulations that encourage efficient energy systems, focusing on integrated resource resilience planning, advanced grid solutions, demand-side management initiatives, community engagement, and private sector services. His background includes more than six years in the renewable energy industry and 25 years in energy utility solutions. He has served five US Commerce Secretaries in six terms as an appointed Advisor on renewable energy and energy efficiency, and was named a Smart Grid Pioneer by Smart Grid Today magazine. Among other areas of expertise, Mr Fry also develops methods of equitable access to affordable and resilient clean energy resources across industries. 

He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and an M.Phil in Economics from Cambridge University. He serves as Sustainability Adviser, deriving his competence in this area from his academic background and vast experience globally.