#204 Powering the Future: Finance’s Role in the Energy Transition with Nicolas Payen

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mVyLN3O1EEfDpiyFMm8UQ

In this episode of the Grow CFO Show, host Kevin Appleby welcomes Nicolas Payen, the former CEO of Positive Energy Ltd, a climate FinTech company focused on renewable energy project financing. Payen brings a wealth of experience from his 15-year career in the energy industry, including his time at Schneider Electric, where he led an innovative IoT startup within the organization.

Payen delves into the ongoing energy transition, highlighting the significant scale and pace of the shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources across regions such as the US, Europe, China, and India. He emphasizes the crucial role of government policies and incentives in driving this transformation, citing examples like the Inflation Reduction Act in the US and the EU’s renewable energy directives. Payen also explores the financial and investment implications of the energy transition, underscoring the importance of the CFO’s role in enabling and managing the strategic decisions required to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.

Furthermore, Payen discusses the impact of the energy transition on talent recruitment and retention, particularly among younger generations who prioritize working for companies with strong sustainability practices. He shares compelling statistics demonstrating the preference of Generation Z for organizations with a green footprint, underscoring the need for effective communication and alignment between a company’s financial and sustainability goals.

Key topics covered include:

• 
  
• Nicolas Payen’s background in the energy industry, including his experience at Schneider Electric and as an entrepreneur
  
• The energy transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources
  
• The scale and pace of the energy transition, with a focus on developments in the US, Europe, China, and India
  
• The role of government policies and incentives in driving the energy transition
  
• The financial and investment implications of the energy transition for companies and investors
  
• The importance of the CFO’s role in enabling and managing the energy transition for their organization
  
• The impact of the energy transition on talent recruitment and retention
  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3zKtG0SCGY

Links

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• Nicolas Payen on LinkedIn
  
• Kevin Appleby on LinkedIn
  
• GrowCFO Mentoring
  

Timestamps

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• 0:00:12 – Introduction to the topic of energy transition and Nicolas Payen’s background
  
• 0:01:06 – Nicolas Payen’s background in the energy industry, including his experience at Schneider Electric
  
• 0:03:25 – Challenges and lessons learned from Nicolas’s experience at Schneider Electric
  
• 0:06:44 – Nicolas’s transition to entrepreneurship and the founding of Positive Energy
  
• 0:11:01 – Overview of the state of the energy transition and decarbonization globally
  
• 0:14:33 – Comparison of electric vehicle sales in the US and Asia
  
• 0:15:21 – Energy transition developments in the UK and EU
  
• 0:18:20 – China’s role and investments in the energy transition
  
• 0:24:10 – The CFO’s role in enabling and managing the energy transition
  
• 0:32:42 – The impact of rising interest rates on the energy transition
  
• 0:39:10 – The importance of the energy transition for talent recruitment and retention
  

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