New CEO for Tonga Power [1]
Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 20:33
Robert Matthews from Australia has been appointed as the new CEO of the Tonga Power Ltd starting in Nuku'alofa on 9 March for the next three-years.
He replaces former CEO John van Brink who completed his three-year contract in February this year.
Matthews comes to Tonga Power with extensive experience in executive and senior management roles across the electricity industry, primarily in Australia. He also has a strong commercial and financial expertise.
Tonga Power stated today that most recently, he was CEO for True Value Solar, the largest single provider of solar generation in Australia with revenues of $180 million (AUD).
He previously headed Australian engineering and contracting companies and was President and Chief Executive of the Australian operations for Ausra Inc., a US based OEM Solar Thermal technology provider.
He has significant experience in negotiating state government grants for new generation ventures and was instrumental in securing $100 million (AUD) in Government funds for the development of a 42MW solar plant at CS Energy power station at Kogan Creek in Queensland, among other roles.