From London to Dubai in 2019: the life and professional experience that changed the course of events.

I have been asked by many to reflect on the past year in different forums but I choose LinkedIn for the task. The choice is not random. Writing and publishing are parts of my self-set targets from 2019 onwards (which I started – shamefully – late this year).

This year will undoubtly remain one of the most memorable years of my life as a lot happened in a matter of few months – perhaps a catalyst for more “game-changing” events that life is treasuring for 2020.

I would skip touching on personal mix of paradoxically difficult and joyful family events and focus on everything else.

I moved out of London after 6 years of unique life/professional experience that changed the course of my events. Six years of hard-work at one of the most prestigious international financial institutions based in the city of London, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

I gave a lot to the institution and received equally the same, if not more. I will remain grateful to all people with whom I worked and interacted there.

2019 was perhaps the time to build up on London years of experience. I moved on to another life-changing endeavor in another vibrant city – this time in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

How did that happen?

I had the great fortune to re-connect again with a top-class entrepreneur with decades of experience in business. A great visionary chairman of a company that re-confirmed its positioning in 2019 as a leading power and energy player in different markets with projects committed and bids won – AMEA Power. Great minds think alike.

How does it feel to be the lawyer on the other side of the table?

I have heard this friendly question many times this year and I must admit that I liked it as I had the time to thoroughly reflect on that question every single night since I started working with AMEA Power.

It feels great but not much different from my previous EBRD life in my opinion. The same challenges, issues (e.g bankability issues), obstacles, market standards faced when structuring a power project (especially “greenfield” starting from scratch) with the same long discussions/presentations at various management/investment committees – and long late evenings at work, except for:

-       the perspective and appetite (including for risks). They might be different sometime. Let us not be, however, diverted from the reality: a good project is a project that lenders will finance.

-       The countries of focus. One dream came true - working in the entire African continent (not just North Africa).

What I am looking at for 2020?

Achieving more impact in the power market (including for the African continent) towards better sustainability that helps meeting more demand for affordable electricity to power the continent economy and a more balanced energy mix.

In nutshell, such objective is only achievable by leveraging on all available capacity and experience that market players and stakeholders could bring by working together towards this common target.

Linkedin is an network of very skilled people who can deliver.