Jeffrey Walker Martin^[1] is the chairman and chief executive officer of Sempra, an energy infrastructure company based in San Diego, California.^[2][3] Sempra develops and owns energy transmission and distribution infrastructure with a focus on leading markets in North America, including California, Texas, Mexico and the liquefied natural gas export market. The company has 20,000 employees and serves roughly 40 million consumers – serving more U.S. customers than any other U.S. utility holding company.^[4]  

Martin has served as Sempra’s chief executive officer since May 2018 and as chairman since December 2018.^[3][5] In this role, Martin is leading Sempra’s mission to be North America’s premier energy infrastructure company and oversees a record $40 billion capital campaign, the largest in the company’s history.^[6] His early leadership focus is "people, priorities and culture," with a goal of creating a high-performance culture that drives the company's long-term success.^[7]

He previously held the role of executive vice president and chief financial officer for Sempra from 2017 to 2018 and he held leadership roles in Sempra subsidiary companies. This included serving as chairman and CEO of San Diego Gas & Electric from 2014 to 2016 and as chairman and CEO of Sempra U.S. Gas and Power from 2010 to 2013.

In 2020, S&P Global Platts named Martin Chief Executive of the Year. In 2023, San Diego Business Journal also named Martin as one of the Top 50 Nonprofit Board Leaders of Influence. Martin represents Sempra on the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum and as co-chair for the Electricity Community and Governor of the Oil and Gas Community.

Military service

Martin was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army where he was an air cavalry pilot in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.^[8] He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Infantry Officer Basic Course, Airborne School and Flight School. Afterwards Martin served in the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment as a helicopter pilot in various leadership roles. Martin left the Army with the rank of Captain in December 1989.^[9]

Education

Martin holds a bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1984 and a master's in public administration from the University of Texas, El Paso.^[1] In 1992, he graduated from the University of Miami with a Juris Doctor's degree and awarded the Order of the Coif. He also served as managing editor of the University of Miami Law Review.^[10][11]

Community involvement

For nearly 10 years, Martin served on the board of trustees for the University of San Diego and philanthropically contributes to the university and other education-related charitable causes.^[12]

Martin also supports the Monarch School (San Diego), a public K-12 school exclusively for students who are homeless, at risk of being homeless, or impacted by homelessness. He and his wife Lisa Martin, who serves on the school's board of directors, co-chaired the 2019 fundraising gala and presented a graduate school scholarship to a former Monarch student at the event.^[12]