Xlinks Limited Board

CHAIR

Paddy Padmanathan
BOARD DIRECTOR

Simon Morrish
Non-Executive Director

Sir Ian Davis
Non-Executive Director

Mark Budd
Non-Executive Director

Roman Dudenhausen

CHAIR

Paddy Padmanathan

Paddy is the Chair and an investor in Xlinks. Previously, he was the President and CEO of ACWA Power, a company he led from a startup 18 years ago to when he stepped down in March 2023, which is listed with a market cap of US50+ billion, a world-leading developer, investor and operator of power generation and water-desalination assets and now constructing the world’s first at scale green hydrogen complex, a portfolio valued in excess of $75 billion, and with extensive experience in solar PV and onshore wind in desert environments across North Africa and the Middle East, including the largest solar power developments in Morocco.

BOARD DIRECTOR

Simon Morrish

Simon founded Xlinks in 2019, spearheading the concept and development of the Morocco-UK Power Project, before moving into the role of Group CEO, Xlinks Limited where he is responsible for growing the Xlinks portfolio of projects.

Previously, Simon built Ground Control Ltd, a highly respected, multi award-winning environmental services business looking after over 50,000 sites in the UK. He also founded Skyports Ltd, a leader in electric aviation infrastructure and drone deliveries. He was awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award for Transformational leadership in 2018.

Simon is an ex-McKinsey consultant and Morgan Stanley Derivatives analyst. He holds a master’s degree with Distinction in Economics, Engineering and Management from Oxford University and an MBA degree with Honours from Harvard Business School.

Non-Executive Director

Sir Ian Davis

Ian Davis is currently Chairman of Thoughtworks Holdings Inc. He is also Senior Independent Director of Majid Al Futtaim Holdings and is an advisor to several private firms and nonprofit organisations.

From 2013-2021 he was Chairman of Rolls-Royce plc. From 2010-2023 he was Non- Executive Director of Johnson & Johnson Inc. and from 2010-2020 he was a Non-Executive Director of BP plc where he was also Senior Independent (Lead) Director. Between 2011- 2017 he was a Non-Executive Director of the UK Cabinet Office, of Teach for All, an educational non profit and Big Society Capital.

Non-Executive Director

Mark Budd

Mark Budd has been working with Xlinks since 2020 and sits on the board. Prior to joining Xlinks, Mark was a partner at TDR Capital, a top-decile European Private Equity fund, from 2005-2020 where he helped them grow from £500m to £8bn AUM while being directly involved in c£10bn of deals across the business services, financial services and consumer sectors.

Non-Executive Director

Roman Dudenhausen

Dr Roman Dudenhausen has more than three decades of experience in the energy, mobility and sustainability sectors, as an entrepreneur and investor. Roman is CEO of conenergy ag, which he founded in 1996. Conenergy ag has invested in a host of innovative energy companies across Europe and the US, including Xlinks Limited. Throughout his career, he has supported multiple international energy companies with growth and entry into new markets, such as ChargePoint, a leading EV charging network. He is an advisor to ZeroMission and Linse Capital and a partner at Smart Infrastructure Ventures. He holds an MBA, specialising in energy industries, and a PhD in energy economics.

Xlinks First Limited – Directors and Officers

BOARD DIRECTOR

Simon Morrish
CHAIR

Paddy Padmanathan
Non-Executive Director

Mark Budd
Non-Executive Director

Sir Ian Davis
Non-Executive Director

Dayae Oudghiri

BOARD DIRECTOR

Simon Morrish

Simon founded Xlinks in 2019, spearheading the concept and development of the Morocco-UK Power Project, before moving into the role of Group CEO, Xlinks Limited where he is responsible for growing the Xlinks portfolio of projects.

Previously, Simon built Ground Control Ltd, a highly respected, multi award-winning environmental services business looking after over 50,000 sites in the UK. He also founded Skyports Ltd, a leader in electric aviation infrastructure and drone deliveries. He was awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award for Transformational leadership in 2018.

Simon is an ex-McKinsey consultant and Morgan Stanley Derivatives analyst. He holds a master’s degree with Distinction in Economics, Engineering and Management from Oxford University and an MBA degree with Honours from Harvard Business School.

CHAIR

Paddy Padmanathan

Paddy is the Chair and an investor in Xlinks. Previously, he was the President and CEO of ACWA Power, a company he led from a startup 18 years ago to when he stepped down in March 2023, which is listed with a market cap of US50+ billion, a world-leading developer, investor and operator of power generation and water-desalination assets and now constructing the world’s first at scale green hydrogen complex, a portfolio valued in excess of $75 billion, and with extensive experience in solar PV and onshore wind in desert environments across North Africa and the Middle East, including the largest solar power developments in Morocco.

Non-Executive Director

Mark Budd

Mark Budd has been working with Xlinks since 2020 and sits on the board. Prior to joining Xlinks, Mark was a partner at TDR Capital, a top-decile European Private Equity fund, from 2005-2020 where he helped them grow from £500m to £8bn AUM while being directly involved in c£10bn of deals across the business services, financial services and consumer sectors.

Non-Executive Director

Sir Ian Davis

Ian Davis is currently Chairman of Thoughtworks Holdings Inc. He is also Senior Independent Director of Majid Al Futtaim Holdings and is an advisor to several private firms and nonprofit organisations.

From 2013-2021 he was Chairman of Rolls-Royce plc. From 2010-2023 he was Non- Executive Director of Johnson & Johnson Inc. and from 2010-2020 he was a Non-Executive Director of BP plc where he was also Senior Independent (Lead) Director. Between 2011- 2017 he was a Non-Executive Director of the UK Cabinet Office, of Teach for All, an educational non profit and Big Society Capital.

Non-Executive Director

Dayae Oudghiri

Starting her career as an investment banker, Dayae has 360° experience of setting up and developing large-scale projects in the renewable energy sector throughout Morocco. She has also held multiple Non-Executive Director positions in listed and non-listed companies across the world.

Xlinks Executive Management Team

CEO, Morocco-UK Power Project

James Humfrey
Project Director, HVDC Transmission

Nigel Williams
General Counsel

Kate Kortenbout
Chief Investment Officer

Hamish McPherson
Chief Financial Officer

Catherine Gan
MANAGING DIRECTOR

Mohamed Sahri
Chief Marketing Officer

Bella Vuillermoz

CEO, Morocco-UK Power Project

James Humfrey

James has over 25 years’ experience in the Energy Industry, most recently as EVP for Growth and Industry in ADNOC in Abu Dhabi, where he led capital project development and business development including the development of the new $25 billion Chemical Park in Ruwais. He also led ADNOC’s New Energies Division, developing the region’s first world scale Blue Ammonia plant and CCS pilot and delivered the acquisition of a stake in Masdar (an International Renewable Generation Company with 20GW portfolio) and the formation of Masdar Green Hydrogen. He has served on the Boards of Infineum and Masdar Green Hydrogen.

Previously, James held senior roles at Shell, with his last as SVP Downstream M&A. He was also previously in charge of Shell’s Global Capital Projects Contracting (including the $14 billion Canada LNG EPC LS contract) and Chemicals Capital Projects.

Project Director, HVDC Transmission

Nigel Williams

Nigel is a senior power industry executive with over 30 years’ experience in the UK and overseas covering operational, commercial and construction roles. Formerly head of Electricity Operations based in National Grid’s control centre.  He led the successful €2b North Sea Link UK to Norway interconnector project from development to completion, to time and budget.

General Counsel

Kate Kortenbout

Kate is a solicitor qualified in England and Wales, with over 18 years’ experience advising on energy and infrastructure projects. Kate previously worked in the London office of an international legal practice.

Chief Investment Officer

Hamish McPherson

Hamish is the Chief Investment Officer of Xlinks. He has over 20 years’ experience in the energy transition sector and prior to joining Xlinks he was the Managing Director of ForMotion, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Bioenergy Infrastructure Group and Partner at Aurium Capital, Walbrook Capital and C12 Capital. Until 2008, he was Head of SCM US Markets at Barclays Capital in New York. He holds a Master of Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Chief Financial Officer

Catherine Gan

Catherine brings 25+ years of experience in international financial management and a strong commercial viewpoint developed through involvement in M&A, investment fund raising and financing deals in the energy and infrastructure sectors. She has an extensive track record in establishing and scaling finance, risk and operations functions and delivering energy and infrastructure projects both within private sectors and government, in both regulated and non-regulated environments.

Catherine’s previous experience included CFO and Board Director of the HMG arm’s length company Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), Finance Director for Hinkley Point C, and a number of CFO roles within renewable energy companies owned by global infrastructure investors,  Catherine was nominated in the 2018 Cranfield School of Management 100 ‘Women to Watch’ Annual Female FTSE report.

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Mohamed Sahri

Mohamed is a renewable energy expert, focusing on large scale projects development and financing. Previous experience includes 14 years in development, project finance and strategic consulting in leading institutions such as Masen and AFD.

Chief Marketing Officer

Bella Vuillermoz

Bella brings over 25 years of experience in the UK and Europe, across strategy, marketing, communications, sustainability, commercial and operations, at two FTSE100 companies, Sky and M&S, as well as in consultancy.