Symposium

executive dialogue speaker bios

5C: CROSS-SECTOR: FINANCE – Financing the Future: The Role of Creative Structures

Moderator

Thomas K. Dreessen
Chairman & CEO
EPS Capital Corp.

Mr. Dreessen is a global expert in developing and financing energy efficiency savings-based projects (ESPs) for end-use industrial process and large commercial/institutional facility owners.  He formed one of the first U.S. ESCOs in 1981, formed/owned ESCOs in 10 different countries and developed ESPs in over 24 countries. Since selling his last ESCO in 2004, Mr. Dreessen has created new market-based funding mechanisms that fill project financing and technical gaps in China and Mexico with a focus on aggregating ESPs to access private equity and local debt.  This effort includes Mr. Dreessen managing a $100 million Private Equity Fund to invest in ESPs throughout China, and fulfilling his vision by developing an International Energy Efficiency Financing Protocol (IEEFP), under the not-for-profit Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO), which is expected to become a “blue print” for training local banks around the world on how to evaluate the unique risks and benefits of financing ESPs.  Mr. Dreessen is a Certified Public Accountant, holds a BBA in Accounting and a MBA in General Business from Lamar University.

Listen to Thomas Dreessen’s EE Global Voices podcast.

Rapporteur

Anke Sofia Meyer
Senior Consulting Energy Economist, Energy, Transport and Water Department
World Bank

Anke Meyer has worked on energy efficiency and renewable energy for almost thirty years, most of them at the World Bank. She advised many countries in Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America on policy framework and practical solutions to improve energy efficiency of heat supply, buildings and in industry, and on financial schemes to facilitate energy efficiency investments. Anke received her Doctorate in Economics from Konstanz University in Germany.

Speakers

Henry Derwent
President & CEO
International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)

Henry Derwent became the President and CEO of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) in February 2008. Previously, as international climate change Director for the UK Government, he oversaw the UK’s role in the international negotiations, in the G8 (especially as Prime Minister's special representative during the UK G8 Presidency in 2005) and in other forums. Henry has been closely associated with the development of greenhouse gas trading in the UK and Europe from its earliest days. He previously had responsibilities for all aspects of climate change and sustainable energy in the UK as well as air quality and industrial pollution control. Before that, he was an international corporate finance executive at a major investment bank.

Dr. Peter du Pont
Chief of Party
ECO-Asia Clean Development and Climate Program 

Dr. Peter du Pont has more than 25 years experience developing sustainable energy and efficiency programs in the U.S. and Asia. Since 1989, he has worked extensively throughout the Asia region, in NGO, private-sector, and government-sector organizations to design and advise on the implementation of clean energy strategies and initiatives. Dr. du Pont has guided numerous regional and international collaborations and currently leads the USAID ECO-Asia Clean Development and Climate Program.

Craig O’Connor
Director, Office of Renewable Energy and Environmental Exports
Export-Import Bank of the United States

Mr. O’Connor currently serves as the Director of Ex-Im Bank’s Office of Renewable Energy & Environmental Exports. Mr. O’Connor’s career started when he was appointed as the Bank’s Environmental Liaison Officer in 1994, to implement the Bank’s top-priority mission to increase its support for environmentally beneficial exports. During this time, he created and managed the Bank’s Environmental Exports Program, which grew from 13 transactions in fiscal year 1994 to 71 transactions in 2007, with a total portfolio in excess of $2 billion. In 2008 Mr. O’Connor was appointed as the Director of Ex-Im Bank’s Office of Renewable Energy & Environmental Exports. Mr. O’Connor’s academic background includes a BA in Finance from the University of Missouri, and an MBA with a concentration in International Business from American University.

Alain Streicher
Managing Director
FACETS LLC

Alain Streicher is the Managing Director of FACETS LLC, a management consulting firm dedicated to energy and the environment. Until recently, Mr. Streicher was Vice President of International Resources Group (IRG) .He is an internationally recognized expert in energy efficiency and the private power industry with extensive expertise in the design, management and implementation of industrial efficiency projects, global corporate strategy, national energy policies and institutional development programs including, international power planning, restructuring and privatization, renewable energy and technology transfer. Prior to joining IRG, he served as a senior partner at PA Consulting in the Strategy and Marketing division. Prior to PA Consulting, Streicher was a Board Member and COO of Hagler, Bailly, Inc., a leading global consulting firm specializing in energy efficiency, of which he was a co-founder in 1980. He was also CEO of the company's international development subsidiary, Hagler, Bailly Services. He is a Board member of the Efficiency Valuation Organization.