Uzbekistan
Infrastructure finance and PPP leader with 20+ years’ experience originating, structuring, and closing large-scale infrastructure transactions across energy, transport, and healthcare- bridging sovereign frameworks with bankable project finance execution. I have mobilized and deployed $10B+ in private and blended capital through IPP and PPP structures, working with EBRD, World Bank, IFC, ADB, commercial lenders, and sponsors from early development through financial close and implementation. My focus is making projects investable: risk allocation, credit and contractual structuring, stakeholder negotiation, and delivery discipline - aligning commercial outcomes with transition impact and sustainability. Previously, I served as Deputy Minister of Finance of Uzbekistan, where I led the national PPP pipeline across priority sectors and contributed to shaping the country’s PPP legal and institutional framework. I also led the EBRD-supported Foreign Investors Council, advancing investment-climate reforms, capital markets development, and ESG standards. Currently, I am Director, Government Relations at ACWA Power, supporting multi-billion-dollar renewable energy and water investments in partnership with government stakeholders and IFIs. Core expertise: PPP & Infrastructure Finance (greenfield/brownfield) • Project finance & blended finance • Risk allocation & contracting • MDB/IFI engagement • Investment climate reform • ESG & governance
- Built and sustained trusted working relationships with central and regional government counterparts, supporting the translation of policy priorities into practical, executable outcomes - Worked closely with internal stakeholders across development, construction, legal, finance, ESG, and communications teams to align government engagement with project and corporate objectives - Supported localisation and industrial development agendas by coordinating with EPCs, OEMs, and local suppliers, aligning delivery approaches with government requirements - Contributed to the design and execution of local content roadmaps in collaboration with ministries, regulators, and industry partners - Served as a key interface with the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of investments, Ministry of Economy & Finance, regulators, utilities, and offtakers, helping maintain alignment throughout the project lifecycle - Assisted in identifying and resolving permitting and execution bottlenecks through early engagement, structured coordination, and appropriate escalation - Coordinated government - lender interactions, supporting approvals, information flows, and risk alignment required for financial close and ongoing execution - Supported business development, privatization through early government engagement, contribution to framework agreements, and coordination across internal teams - Worked with ESG and CSR teams to align community initiatives, social investment programmes, and environmental commitments with government priorities and local needs - Acted as a spokesperson in selected forums, supporting government-facing communications, media engagement, and stakeholder briefings in coordination with marketing and corporate communications teams - Contributed to the development of coherent external narratives and marketing communications, ensuring consistency across government, investors, partners, and the wider public.
Teaching finance, investments, infrastructure, and competitiveness courses (affiliated with Harvard Business School).
Selected as a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, contributing insights on global trends in leadership, strategy, innovation, and sustainability. - Provide feedback on emerging management practices and future-of-work research. - Engage in shaping HBR’s editorial direction and strategic themes relevant to global business leadership. - Contribute thought leadership and practitioner perspective across sectors including infrastructure, ESG, and public-private engagement. Key Focus Areas: Strategic Management · Organizational Leadership · Sustainable Business Models · Global Public Policy
Appointed to the Advisory Committee to guide and support the UN Global Compact’s mission to advance corporate sustainability and responsible business practices across Central Asia. - Advise on regional implementation of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, focusing on human rights, labor standards, environmental sustainability, and anti-corruption. - Provide strategic input on engaging the private sector in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with an emphasis on impact investing, ESG integration, and inclusive economic development. - Facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue between businesses, government, and civil society to promote transparent, accountable, and purpose-driven growth in the region. Core Areas: Sustainable Development · Corporate Governance · ESG Policy · Impact Investing · Public-Private Dialogue · Business & Human Rights.
Advised on the design and structuring of climate-resilient energy PPPs, supporting feasibility analysis, commercial structuring, risk allocation, and blended-finance solutions to improve bankability, fiscal sustainability, and private-sector mobilization. Worked with ministries and regulators on investment-climate diagnostics, tariff and affordability analysis, regulatory alignment, and institutional readiness, contributing to the development of a PPP program and strengthened fiscal-risk management frameworks.