The African Development Bank Group has announced the appointment of Henry Paul Batchi Baldeh as the Director for Power Systems Development with effect from May 1, 2017.
Baldeh, a Gambian, holds a Master of Business Administration from Boston University, Graduate School of Management, USA, and a Bachelor of Science, Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors of South Africa and member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, United Kingdom.
Baldeh brings over 30 years of experience as an investment banker, infrastructure developer, project finance, energy and utility management specialist and a wealth of expertise covering the entire power sector value chain.
He has worked as Senior Vice-President for the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and currently leads its power sector operations as Director, Power Systems. At AFC, he helped to grow the size of the power sector portfolio, including assets under the complex Nigeria Power Privatization program and green-field development of two regional 450 MW Independent Power Producers (IPPs) under the West African Power Pool.
Baldeh started his career in Gambia's national utility as an Electrical Engineer and became the pioneer Managing Director of Gambia's National Water and Electricity Company in 1995.
He subsequently worked in Lesotho, as an Advisor to the Board of Lesotho Electricity Company, the Director of Energy and the Director of the Privatization Unit.
He is well respected for his experience in developing, structuring and successfully managing power projects and utilities in complex technical, economic and socio-political environments.
He has successfully led teams to provide advice on policy formulation, implementation strategy, institutional reforms and investments in power and water infrastructure development.
He has a solid track record of structuring finance for large-scale infrastructure projects in the private and public sectors across Africa, including renewable energy projects, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and supporting the West African Power Pool. Baldeh is the Chairman of the Board of two AFC investee companies, Cabeolica SA and Cenpower Operations Services Limited.
The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, said of the appointment: "I am delighted Henry Paul Batchi Baldeh is joining the Bank. He brings a solid track record of practical experience in the power sector, development of advisory services, project development and management of power utilities. Henry is well respected within Africa's power sector. He will be an asset to the Bank as we roll out our work on transforming Africa's power sector."
