Franck Constant
Founder and Director
Franck is a member of Minegenco’s Investment Committee and Board. He also Chairs executive committees related to project finance and EPC selection.
Franck has over 20 years of experience in conventional and renewable power generation.
More on Franck’s background
Franck began his career in the power generation industry in 1995 when he joined Sithe Energies Inc. in Thailand. He worked with Sithe for five years developing its power projects and business in South East Asia. During this period, Sithe became Thailand’s leading foreign IPP, with new assets worth over $500 million. He continued in the power generation industry until 2002, working as Director for Business Development for Sithe in Korea and subsequently for Mirant Asia-Pacific in North East Asia. In these roles, he successfully structured, financed and managed over $1 billion of greenfield power projects and acquisitions for Sithe and Mirant.
In 2002, Franck started an energy consulting firm ‘Asia Energy Resources’ which was subsequently acquired by AWR Lloyd, an energy, infrastructure and mining advisory firm in 2006. Franck worked as a partner until 2010, providing advisory services to oil, power and mining companies.
Finance Degree, EDHEC
Jeremy Ayre
Founder and Director
Jeremy is a member of Minegenco’s Investment Committee and Board. He also Chairs executive committees related to selection of the firm’s network of industry advisors, finalization and presentation of Commercial Proposals and mine due diligence at both screening and PPA negotiation stages.
Jeremy has 30 years of experience in the mining industry ranging from operations and corporate roles to M&A and private equity. He has also acted as a non-executive director on two publicly listed companies and several funds.
More on Jeremy’s background
Between 2008 and 2016, Jeremy worked with Baker Steel Capital Managers to create a specialist private equity fund that led to listing of BSRT, a USD100m listed trust on the LSE (www.bakersteelresourcestrust.com).
Prior to that, in 2000, he co-founded AWR Lloyd, a specialist advisory business based in SE Asia (www.awrlloyd.com) that acquired Asia Energy Resources, Franck Constant’s consulting business, in 2006. Franck and Jeremy have been collaborating in various capacities ever since.
During the ensuing period to 2007, he originated an assignment with a $50m privately held Australian metallurgical coal company that led to a 5-year working relationship, a public listing, merger and sale to a Chinese company for $3.5bn. He also co-originated another key advisory relationship for the firm, with Banpu Coal, which has been a continuous client of the firm for 15 years now.
Before becoming independent in 2000, Jeremy worked for Paribas and in London for Rio Tinto in its Business Evaluation department between 1994 and 1997. Up until this point and since graduating, he worked in both underground and open pit operations as mining engineer at Red Dome Gold Mine (Qld), Mawsons Pit (WA), Edwards Find (WA) and Neves Corvo (Portugal).
B.E. Mining Hons. (University of NSW), MBA (ENPC, Paris).
Lon Taranaki
CEO
Lon is responsible for driving Minegenco’s development activity from generation of investment opportunities through to finalizing power purchase agreements with mining industry clients.
Lon’s extensive operational experience, which includes line and general management roles, ensures a deep understanding of the dynamics of mine and construction sites and excellent communications with clients. Furthermore, this background allows Lon to be innovative and propose power solutions which are site specific and optimal for the client rather than stock standard.
Lon’s 25 years experience in the mining industry ranges from operational management through to business development and executive roles and, more recently, entrepreneurial ventures. He has held senior executive positions for a number of publicly listed mining companies.
More on Lon’s background
In 2014, Lon co-founded Asia M Group (AMG), a specialist mining group focused on project origination in Indonesia & Cambodia & providing performance improvement consultancy services. Lon led AMG’s first acquisition, the acquisition of a coal exploration lease in Cambodia. The project was developed then divested to a Chinese SOE.
Most recently, Lon managed two major consulting assignments providing mining expertise on cost reduction and performance improvements at mines in Indonesia and Guyana. The Guyanese project recently announced record quarterly production.
Prior to that, Lon held the position of Executive General Manager, Business Development for Sakari Resources, (SGX:SAR) with a focus on business development in Indonesia and SE Asia. This gave him extensive experience in project evaluation, due diligence and M&A transactions.
B.E Mineral Processing (University of Queensland), EMBA (National University Singapore)
Dheeraj Aggarwal
Head of Commercial / Optimization
Dheeraj joined Minegenco in August 2018 as Head of Commercial / Optimization and is a core member of the development and project finance teams. He is responsible for taking development projects originated and screened by Lon and our team of advisors from early evaluations through to financial close, including project finance.
Dheeraj has over 15 years of experience ranging from consulting and investment banking to private equity and corporate roles. Over the last seven years, he has worked in renewables originating, evaluating, structuring, financing and closing transactions – mainly wind, in Europe and Australasia.
More on Dheeraj
Between 2016 to 2018, Dheeraj worked for Wind Energy Holding (Thai largest wind IPP) where he developed the investment and business development side of the organization. He also successfully closed the financing for a portfolio of 450MW raising $1.1 bn corporate and project debt, which was company’s largest financing at the time. He project-managed all activities from late-stage development to financial close. Up until this point, he worked as Investment Manager in Platina Partners – a renewable energy focused private equity fund in London – where he oversaw the operations of 250MW of wind farms. He also worked on several solar projects and acted as director on the Boards of two investment SPVs.
Dheeraj started his career in renewables in 2012 when he worked on India’s largest wind farm acquisition at the time, helping BLP (now Enel India) to re-negotiate the agreed term sheet and structure the related mezzanine financing.
Prior to that, Dheeraj worked as an investment banker at RBS Corporate Finance (formerly ABN AMRO) and closed several transactions specifically in the oil & gas sector. Earlier, during his time as a consultant with Ernst & Young, he advised several financial institutions to improve their business and IT processes.
Masters in Finance, London Business School
Engineering Degree, Delhi College of Engineering
Advisors
Farid Moucer
Group Head of Corporate Development for Constant Energy
With Farid’s deep understanding of the global renewable energy IPP business which spans development through to delivering large and complex projects in various jurisdictions, he is able to provide Minegenco’s core team with guidance and feedback in relation commercial proposals including technical aspects.
More on Farid
Farid has over 15 years’ experience working in business development and marketing. Farid previously worked with Sonnedix for seven years as country Manager for South Africa, where he delivered Sonnedix largest plant at 86MW in 2016. Prior to that he headed up the business development activity for solar PV utility in France, UK and Spain. Farid has extensive experience in working with local developers, EPC contractors and lenders.
Markus Ganterer
Group Head of Compliance & IR for Constant Energy
Markus provides Minegenco with guidance in relation to its compliance practices and corporate structuring. He has extensive experience in finance, investor relations and fund compliance.
More on Markus
Prior to working with Franck to establish Constant Energy in 2017, he was compliance and finance officer for Sonnedix Solar LP since 2010. He was responsible for establishing all corporate finance, compliance systems and investor relations and was central to overseeing the sale of the business to JP Morgan in 2016.
Prior to that, Markus managed as CFO/ Asset Manager Arclight Capital’s portfolio investments in Europe and worked in Investment Banking for Commerzbank and a Private Equity boutique.
MBA NYE, LSE and HEC
Counsel
Brett W. King
Brett advised Sonnedix and now Constant Energy and Minegenco. The working relationship with the group spans close to 10 years.
More on Brett
Brett has been a partner in the Corporate practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Hong Kong office. He represents banks, financial institutions, private equity funds, and strategic sponsors in acquisition and project and leveraged finance transactions in Asia, including leveraged buyouts and structured M&A financings.
He has lived in Hong Kong for over 18 years and participated in some of the first US style leveraged buyouts completed in Asia. He has extensive experience in large private power projects in emerging markets and represented Sonnedix Solar LP on the establishment of a new joint venture platform company to pursue opportunities in the rapidly expanding global solar market.
Ph D, University of Chicago
MBA, Northwestern University,
J.D. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
Markus Ganterer
Group Head of Compliance & IR for Constant Energy
Markus provides Minegenco with guidance in relation to its compliance practices and corporate structuring. He has extensive experience in finance, investor relations and fund compliance.
More on Markus
Prior to working with Franck to establish Constant Energy in 2017, he was compliance and finance officer for Sonnedix Solar LP since 2010. He was responsible for establishing all corporate finance, compliance systems and investor relations and was central to overseeing the sale of the business to JP Morgan in 2016.
Prior to that, Markus managed as CFO/ Asset Manager Arclight Capital’s portfolio investments in Europe and worked in Investment Banking for Commerzbank and a Private Equity boutique.
MBA NYE, LSE and HEC