Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Countries Of Work Experience
Additional Information
Interests
Timeline
BusinessDevelopmentManager
Jai Thakur

Jai Thakur

Deputy Project Manager
New Delhi,DL

Summary

Project manager and renewable energy advisor with 8+ years of experience, delivering large-scale wind, solar, and battery storage projects across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Experienced in managing cross-country teams and advising lenders, developers, investors, and government agencies on technology due diligence, investment risks, and financial model optimization. Specialized in Lenders Technical Advisory, Technical Due Diligence, and risk management, with strong expertise in project finance advisory, contract structuring, and operational efficiency strategies. As part of IRM India's Young Leaders Board, contribute to advancing industry risk frameworks and mentor future leaders through strategic case competitions. Combine technical knowledge with commercial insight to support banks, consulting firms, and infrastructure investors in making risk-aware, data-driven investment decisions.

Overview

8
8
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages

Work History

Deputy Project Manager

AFRY
06.2022 - Current
  • One of the youngest Project Managers within AFRY's Asia operations, leading high-value renewable energy advisory projects (LTA, OE, TDD) across Uzbekistan, Romania, Israel, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the Middle East, involving over 2 GW in capacity and more than $400 million in project investment.
  • Managed cross-country technical and commercial teams across Uzbekistan, China, India, and Europe, overseeing project delivery from pre-feasibility to financing stages, and ensuring compliance with local regulations and international lender standards.
  • Directed multi-functional teams to deliver comprehensive financial model reviews, introducing and validating production degradation and wind sensitivity analyses to improve long-term accuracy and bankability for clients, especially first-time renewable developers.
  • Provided financial structuring advisory by introducing liquidated damages (LD) mechanisms and liability caps into EPC and O&M contracts, ensuring clients' financial exposure was minimized while enhancing contractor accountability.
  • Led the development of LTA reports for major multilateral lenders (AIIB, ADB, FMO, Saudi Exim, Standard Chartered), coordinating across technical streams to ensure timely, comprehensive assessments covering energy yield, technology, contracts, and financial risk.
  • Built AFRY's local subconsultant network in Uzbekistan, expanding AFRY's capacity to meet national standards, and supporting local project execution during engineering and construction periods.
  • Advised clients on wind turbine technology optimization, upgrade strategies, and asset health KPIs, enhancing long-term asset performance and revenue stability.
  • Reviewed and strengthened clients' O&M strategies, recommending improvements in maintenance planning, contractor oversight, and operational reporting to reduce downtime, and operational inefficiencies.
  • Conducted project site visits and factory audits across the Middle East and Europe, personally inspecting wind and solar farms, OEM factories, and storage yards to assess construction quality, technology readiness, and supply chain risks.
  • Interviewed client organization teams to assess technological capabilities, evaluated EPC selection criteria, and reviewed compliance processes to drive operational improvements.
  • Guided solar developers on panel maintenance strategies, hydrology management, and rust prevention techniques to extend infrastructure life and reduce long-term costs.
  • Collaborated with ESIA and environmental specialists to assess contractors' environmental management and rehabilitation plans, ensuring compliance with lender mandates.
  • Acted as the lead client interface, aligning diverse stakeholders, including developers, contractors, lenders, and government authorities, driving consensus and project momentum.
  • Chaired design review and risk mitigation workshops, overseeing progress tracking, and action item implementation.
  • Trusted with the leadership of AFRY's largest multi-lender projects due to a demonstrated ability to combine technical depth with commercial insight, and structured team leadership, while mentoring junior staff.

Senior Performance Engineer

EDF Renewables
11.2017 - 05.2022
  • Managed performance optimization and operational assessments across EDF's 600+ MW wind energy portfolio, spanning multiple turbine OEMs, regions, and asset types.
  • Spearheaded generation estimation models for budgeting and revenue forecasting, integrating operational losses, degradation, and re-forecasting algorithms to enable accurate financial projections, and minimize deviation penalties.
  • Designed and implemented a Smart Asset Management System, leading a cross-functional team to integrate decentralized SCADA systems with centralized cloud-based servers, enabling real-time monitoring, performance benchmarking, and O&M optimization across multiple sites.
  • Conducted detailed technology assessments for battery energy storage systems (BESS), advising on BESS sizing, and battery technology selection to minimize deviation penalties under national grid regulations.
  • Collaborated with turbine OEMs (SGRE, Vestas) to implement software upgrades and aerodynamic retrofits (e.g., vortex generators, I-Spins), directly contributing to performance recovery across underperforming turbines.
  • Advised on and coordinated blade inspection and cleaning strategies, specifically for turbines installed in desert and industrial regions, improving energy output by mitigating dust and debris-related losses.
  • Developed automated tools for real-time deviation penalty tracking, enabling operations teams to proactively identify energy scheduling deviations, and minimize financial losses.
  • Reviewed and negotiated O&M contracts, including performance KPIs and service levels, contributing to cost control and operational efficiency.
  • Conducted extensive SCADA data analysis, including high-frequency datasets (45 TB+), to diagnose the root causes of turbine underperformance, component failures, and major software flaws.
  • Led root-cause analysis (RCA) for major breakdowns, engaging with OEMs to implement corrective actions, and reduce downtime across EDF's operating fleet.
  • Advised management on asset health monitoring KPIs and reporting frameworks, ensuring alignment with corporate financial and operational objectives.
  • Oversaw site inspections and field investigations, providing hands-on support for turbine retrofits, operational assessments, and component upgrades.
  • Collaborated with third-party vendors and governmental bodies for technology integrations, contract negotiations, and regulatory compliance across EDF's India operations.
  • Worked with internal financial teams to model operational impacts on cash flow, supporting budget forecasting, cost analysis, and revenue assurance strategies.

Young Leaders Advisory Council

IRM
06.2024 - Current
  • Part of the Young Leaders Board of IRM India, contributing to the promotion and strategic development of enterprise risk management (ERM) practices across Indian industries, with a focus on renewable energy, infrastructure, and project delivery sectors.
  • I served as a jury member and judge for multiple business case competitions organized by MBA universities, such as the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), evaluating entrepreneurial and strategic risk management approaches presented by participating teams.
  • Represented IRM in industry forums and workshops, engaging with cross-functional professionals to promote risk education and governance improvements.
  • Participated in industry workshops and thought leadership initiatives, advocating for risk-aware decision-making and operational resilience across complex project environments.

Education

Engineering Degree - Electronics and Communications

Manipal University Jaipur
Jaipur, India
01.2013 - 01.2017

Skills

Project Finance Advisory

Countries Of Work Experience

Central African Republic, China, Croatia, Egypt, India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.

Additional Information

Courses: Wind Energy Course (DTU via Coursera), Finance and Quantitative Modelling (University of Pennsylvania via Coursera), Fundamentals of Quantitative Modelling (University of Pennsylvania via Coursera).

Languages: English (Full professional proficiency); French (Limited working proficiency, affiliated via Alliance Francaise de Delhi)



Interests

Ultra Marathon and Trail Runner Official Adidas India runner, passionate about endurance and adventure I've raced across India in ultra-marathons and trail runs, chasing finish lines in some of the country's toughest terrains Always running, always pushing limits

Timeline

Young Leaders Advisory Council

IRM
06.2024 - Current

Deputy Project Manager

AFRY
06.2022 - Current

Senior Performance Engineer

EDF Renewables
11.2017 - 05.2022

Engineering Degree - Electronics and Communications

Manipal University Jaipur
01.2013 - 01.2017

Similar Profiles

CREATE PROFILE
Jai ThakurDeputy Project Manager