Eku Energy announces appointments of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Eku Energy has today announced the appointments of Mr Paul Donovan as Chairman and Ms Sandra Grauers Nilsson as Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Donovan is an experienced corporate leader, with more than 40 years’ experience acting in Chairman, CEO, and Non-Executive Director roles across the telecommunications, technology, utilities and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. His extensive international experience includes CEO roles at Arqiva, Odeon and UCI Cinemas Group, Eir, and Vodafone where he led the group’s emerging markets businesses. Mr Donovan is currently Chair of software company action.ai., and a non-executive director at Arqiva. His commercial acumen, combined with strong leadership skills, will be valuable in guiding Eku Energy’s continued growth and expansion.

Ms Grauers brings to the global energy storage business more than 20 years’ experience in the European energy sector. Joining Eku Energy from Vattenfall, Ms Grauers most recently served as Vice President of Onshore Wind with responsibility for a 5 GW pipeline of projects in Northern Europe as well as a significant asset portfolio. Prior to this, Ms Grauers held business and power system development, project management and market analysis roles at Vattenfall, Statoil, and Graninge Trading.

In her new role as CEO, Ms Grauers will spearhead Eku Energy’s global growth strategy, including the consolidation of an existing pipeline of utility-scale energy storage projects and the development of a new asset pipeline of more than 4 GWh across the UK, Australia, Japan, and Taiwan[1]. Ms Grauers will continue to build specialist teams in London, Melbourne, Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo and Taipei to embed the company’s presence in local markets. 

Mr Donavan’s appointment is effective 1 April 2023, while Ms Grauers will assume the responsibilities of Interim CEO Mr Chris Morrison in early May. Mr Morrison has led Eku Energy since its launch by Macquarie Asset Management’s Green Investment Group (GIG) in November 2022 and will return to GIG following the leadership transition, while maintaining a role on Eku’s Board of Directors.

Chris Morrison, Interim CEO of Eku Energy, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Paul and Sandra to the Eku team. Both have impressive experience and track-records of executing strategic growth initiatives. After only a few short months since launching Eku, we have progressed our development pipeline, nearly doubled the size of our team, and will soon welcome BCI as a new investor. In passing the baton to Sandra and bringing additional insights to our board with Paul’s appointment, I am confident in the team’s ability to drive Eku’s ambitious agenda to increase flexible low carbon energy storage around the globe.”

Sandra Grauers, incoming CEO of Eku Energy, said:

“I am excited to join Eku Energy as the business grows to becoming a global leader in technology-enabled energy storage solutions. The speed and affordability of the energy transition hinges on our ability to match flexible storage capacity with clean power supply, and Eku is at the forefront of developing and deploying the technology needed to navigate this shift successfully.”

Eku Energy was initially launched by GIG to build, develop and manage its global portfolio of energy storage investments. Through its data-driven approach and local market expertise, Eku Energy is providing critical grid services and helping to increase the pace and scale of the deployment of energy storage solutions.

Eku Energy will have 190 MWh of flexible storage capacity under construction and a further development pipeline of more than 4 GWh across jurisdictions including the UK, Australia, Japan, and Taiwan*. Operations have commenced in the UK and Australia with a 40 MW/40 MWh facility under construction in Essex, UK; and a 150 MW/150 MWh facility under construction in Victoria, Australia.

About Eku Energy

Eku Energy is a globally diversified and technology enabled energy storage business. We are dedicated to developing, building, and actively managing energy storage assets for the long term to enable reliable, clean energy supply. Our portfolio contains flexible utility-scale storage capacity in key markets around the world.

Established by Macquarie Asset Management’s Green Investment Group, we utilise technical and financial innovation to provide vital grid services that support the supply of reliable, clean energy: advancing the energy transition.

For more information, visit ekuenergy.com

*On completion of the transfer of GIG’s Australian battery storage business to Eku Energy