Deconstructing Digital Infrastructure: Conversations in Cleantech
Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech has concluded with a compelling series of discussions that shine a light on the future of energy transition and digital infrastructure. Brightsmith gathered some of the most influential leaders in the field to explore the questions driving the market today.
Jump To
Episode 2: Scaling EV and AV Infrastructure with Neha Palmer
Episode 4: Power Constraints and Growth Strategy with Gene Alessandrini
Episode 5: Investing at the Edge with Sofie Käll and Anna Søndergaard
Episode 7: Building Resilient Semiconductor Supply Chains with Dr Ryan Hatcher
Leadership Lessons and Industry Insights from Conversations in Cleantech Season Ten
Driving Leadership and Execution Across the Energy Transition
Episode 1: Mastering Utility Delivery with Phillip Sandino
Guest: Phillip Sandino, Senior Vice President of Utility Development, Tract
How do leaders deliver gigawatt-scale infrastructure without derailing timelines or stakeholder trust?
Phillip Sandino shares lessons from both sides of the grid, revealing how developers can navigate utilities, regulators, and growing AI-driven energy demand while keeping complex projects on track.
Why listen? Learn how leading infrastructure teams de-risk delivery, align stakeholders, and execute at scale.
Episode 2: Scaling EV and AV Infrastructure with Neha Palmer
Guest: Neha Palmer, CEO, TeraWatt Infrastructure
How can EV and autonomous vehicle charging infrastructure scale reliably under intense demand?
Neha Palmer shows how TeraWatt designs high-uptime, bankable charging networks, blending operational discipline, strategic capital planning, and leadership insight to meet the accelerating needs of electrified fleets and autonomous vehicles.
Why listen? Discover how leaders build scalable, mission-critical EV infrastructure before the market even catches up.
Episode 3: Unlocking Energy and Market Value with Sue Ennis
Guest: Sue Ennis, Head of Investor Relations & Government Affairs, Hut 8
How can overlooked energy assets be transformed into strategic advantage for AI infrastructure?
Sue Ennis explains how financial acumen and operational expertise intersect to turn stranded energy into opportunity, showing how leaders can leverage underutilised assets to drive real-world impact.
Why listen? Learn how capital market thinking meets operational reality to unlock energy value.
Episode 4: Power Constraints and Growth Strategy with Gene Alessandrini
Guest: Gene Alessandrini, Senior Vice President of Energy, CyrusOne
How does power availability define where and how digital infrastructure can expand?
Gene Alessandrini outlines the challenges of securing and managing energy at scale, showing how data centres balance reliability, renewable sourcing, and speed to support growth without compromise.
Why listen? Understand how power planning has become a strategic differentiator in infrastructure leadership.
Episode 5: Investing at the Edge with Sofie Käll and Anna Søndergaard
Guests: Sofie Käll, CIO, and Anna Søndergaard, Co-Founder & CEO, The Footprint Firm
How can early-stage investment accelerate infrastructure efficiency and innovation?
Sofie Käll and Anna Søndergaard reveal how focusing on system-level improvements, rather than only assets, can create scalable impact across the digital infrastructure ecosystem.
Why listen? Gain insight into how early-stage strategies influence both commercial viability and operational performance.
Episode 6: Strategic Site Selection with Patrick Lynch
Guest: Patrick Lynch, Executive Managing Director, CBRE
How do leaders identify the right locations for multi-gigawatt projects under regulatory and supply constraints?
Patrick Lynch explores how site selection is influenced by power availability, grid capacity, and market dynamics, showing how operational foresight enables infrastructure deployment at scale.
Why listen? Learn how strategic decisions in site planning can define competitive advantage in digital infrastructure.
Episode 7: Building Resilient Semiconductor Supply Chains with Dr Ryan Hatcher
Guest: Dr Ryan Hatcher, CEO & Founder, Phoenix Semiconductor
Why are legacy semiconductors critical to digital and energy infrastructure resilience?
Dr Ryan Hatcher explains how fragile mature-node supply chains underpin modern infrastructure and how strategic foresight can protect operations from disruptions.
Why listen? Discover how securing the foundations of infrastructure can prevent costly failures in the energy and digital sectors.
Episode 8: Optimising the Grid with David Miller
Guest: David Miller, Chief Commercial Officer, Gridmatic
How can AI and flexible energy management reshape power delivery for rapid infrastructure growth?
David Miller discusses how controllable load, energy storage, and real-time optimisation create a dynamic grid capable of meeting rising AI and data centre demand.
Why listen? Learn how integrating software, storage, and operational strategy helps infrastructure scale efficiently without overbuilding.
Episode 9: Renewable-Powered Compute with John Belizaire
Guest: John Belizaire, Founder & CEO, Soluna
How can stranded renewable energy be converted into modular compute capacity?
John Belizaire shows how co-locating compute with renewable generation creates operational and economic efficiencies while supporting AI and digital infrastructure growth.
Why listen? Discover how combining energy strategy with modular technology unlocks sustainable, scalable infrastructure solutions.
Leadership Lessons and Industry Insights from Conversations in Cleantech Season Ten
Season Ten revealed that delivering digital infrastructure is no longer just about technology. The industry is converging with energy transition, creating new challenges and opportunities for leaders, investors, and operators.
Execution as Strategic Leadership: Leaders now integrate operations, regulatory fluency, and organisational alignment to turn projects into strategic differentiators. Execution defines competitive advantage.
Power and Energy Integration: Grid constraints, renewable sourcing, and storage capacity are shaping where infrastructure can grow. Leaders must embed energy strategy into project planning to maintain credibility and scale.
Aligning Capital, Talent, and Technology: Early-stage investment, technical innovation, and leadership alignment determine long-term infrastructure success. Season Ten shows that integration across these elements is crucial for high-impact delivery.
Future Implications: Hyperscale computing, AI, electrification, and renewable integration will challenge infrastructure and organisational capacity. Leaders who understand these interdependencies and anticipate regulatory, policy, and supply chain dynamics will define the next generation of digital infrastructure.
Season Ten Podcasts: Explore the full series on the Brightsmith website or Podbean.
Driving Leadership and Execution Across the Energy Transition
Brightsmith operates at the intersection of executive leadership, digital infrastructure, and energy transition. We connect organisations with the talent, operational expertise, and strategic guidance required to deliver transformative projects.
Our Services Include:
Executive and leadership search for C-suite and VP-level roles
Team and project build for high-performing, cross-functional teams
Contract, interim, and embedded talent solutions for rapid capability deployment
Strategic advisory, market intelligence, and workforce planning for complex energy projects
Organisations seeking to scale responsibly rely on Brightsmith to source the right leaders and teams to execute with confidence.
Contact Brightsmith to discuss your energy transition leadership needs.
