BTE Renewables has announced the appointment of Rosalind Kainyah MBE to its executive board. With 30 years of international, senior management, executive and board level exposure, Kainyah’s extensive experience in Sustainability, Corporate and Environmental Law, Government Relations, and Political Risk Management, add gravitas to this appointment.

“Rosalind offers unique and strategic insights, which we will draw on to assist our business as we expand our portfolio of renewable energy power producing projects both within South Africa and the broader African continent, and thereby help transition towards a sustainable future,” commented Robert Skjodt, CEO of BTE Renewables.

In sharing her views on the role of renewable energy in relation to development and her experience in this sector, Kainyah, elucidates the multitude of environmental, economic, and social benefits for the hundreds of people on the African continent who aren’t yet able to access reliable energy.

“At the macro scale, global demand for energy continues to rise and millions of people lack access to modern energy services. Sub-Saharan Africa remains largely without dependable access to power, and considering the rapid population growth on the continent, this means that the current estimates of 600million is likely to increase without immediate action,” said Rosalind Kainyah MBE, newly appointed BTE Non-Executive Board Member.

At the same time, climate change means that new ways to meet the energy shortage should be addressed by renewable energy, as the best option of a sustainable future, to limit global warming.

“By providing millions of people with clean electrical power, we can tackle several global and national development challenges, contributing not only to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 – ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all – but also a host of other SDGs such as improved education quality, poverty alleviation, better health, more sustainable cities and communities, and the creation of decent jobs,” added Kainyah.

She sees the benefit of developing host communities, as renewable energy projects increasingly become a part of local landscapes, encouraging deliberate business strategies that support the development of communities.

BOARD APPOINTMENT TO SUPPORT THE DRIVE OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TRANSITION

“By aligning business objectives with the needs and aspirations of local communities, renewable energy projects can create shared value for the business, for host communities, and for society at large. Therefore, renewable energy provides developmental benefits that span across global, national, and local scales,” concluded Rainyah.

About Ms. Rosalind Kainyah MBE:

In both her Board and advisory roles, she strategically supports company executives and management teams in advancing the interests of their businesses by harnessing environmental social and socio-economic opportunities; managing political, governance, environmental and social risks; and shaping and delivering smarter approaches to building productive relationships with key stakeholders.   As a result of her legal expertise, she is also well-versed in negotiating agreements involving and representing multiple interests with diverse and complex issues and in developing innovative solutions for disputes and to advance business opportunities. 

Rosalind was called to the bar in 1988 and has had an extensive career as a lawyer, was recognized as one of Britain’s most influential people of African and African Caribbean heritage by ‘The Power List’ in 2008 and was awarded an MBE for services to corporate social responsibility for the benefit of youth in Africa in 2014 and nominated as a Women to Watch by Cranfield School of Management (The Female FTSE Board Report) in 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Ghana; a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London; a Master of Laws degree from University College, University of London; is a member of the Bar of England and Wales (Gray’s Inn); and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the UK.   

Over the span of her career, she has worked with companies and organisations on projects across Africa and in the UK, Western and Eastern Europe, North & South America, Asia, and the South Pacific.  As a result, she has a wide network and is respected across a range of stakeholders from governments and corporates through civil society organisations and media for her professional expertise, integrity and credibility.

Boilerplate:

BTE Renewables (formerly BioTherm Energy) has been operating in Africa since 2003 and is positioned as a leading Pan-African renewable power developer with nearly 400 MW of wind and solar projects in operation in South Africa and Kenya. The company is 100% owned by Actis, the world’s leading emerging markets investor.