Solar Power Partners expands executive team

MILL VALLEY, USA: Solar Power Partners Inc. (SPP), one of the country’s largest independent solar power producers, announced that M. Shakil Rahman has joined its executive team as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

The company also named Edward Scherr as Vice President and Controller. Both appointments contribute to the company’s roster of experienced energy industry professionals, and continue SPP’s commitment to building a world-class management team that enables the delivery of high-value solar development to its customers, partners, and investors.

“The legal and financial transaction complexities in the solar PV development industry require an experienced team in place that can execute,” said Bob Powell, President and CEO of Solar Power Partners. “I’m excited to count Shakil and Ed as part of the team, both of whom have extensive energy-industry experience. Their leadership will allow the company to continue demonstrating its underlying quality and bankability.”

Solar Power Partners announced in April 2010 that it closed up to $215 million in funding, a portion of which will be used to support the company’s aggressive, nation-wide growth in both commercial and utility markets.

Rahman brings over 20 years of experience as both in-house and external counsel, specializing in project finance and energy, to lead SPP’s legal, commercial and regulatory affairs as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

Before joining SPP, he was a Principal and General Counsel of Sapphire Power Partners, a project development company focused on renewable and gas fired generation in the independent power industry. At Sapphire, Rahman provided project development, regulatory, and legal consulting services to owners as well as developing photovoltaic utility scale projects.

In his role as Vice President and Controller, Edward Scherr will be responsible for the all aspects of the company’s accounting and financial reporting functions. Before joining SPP, Scherr was the Director of Corporate Accounting at Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), where he held responsibilities that included SEC Reporting, Technical Accounting, Energy (Regulatory) Accounting and General Ledger.

Prior to that, he was a senior manager at Deloitte & Touche, where he led delivery of accounting and auditing services to SEC registrants and private companies in the real estate and high-tech markets. Mr. Scherr holds a BA in Mathematics from the University of Rochester, NY, and an MBA from the University of Oregon. He is a certified public accountant and serves as Treasurer for the Board of Trustees of the Seven Hills School.

SPP provides industry-leading system modeling, design, engineering, and construction management, and long-term operations and maintenance. Solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) allow customers to use clean solar energy without any upfront capital, while removing the risk of ongoing operations and maintenance.