Sumant Sinha
Born (1965-02-12) 12 February 1965 (age 58)
Delhi, India
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Founder, Chairman & CEO of ReNew
SpouseVaishali Sinha
ChildrenTarushi, Siddhant
Parent(s)Yashwant Sinha, Nilima Sinha
Websitesumantsinha.com

Sumant Sinha (born 12 February 1965) is an Indian businessman.[1] [2]He is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of ReNew, a renewable energy company and the first Indian renewable energy company to list on Nasdaq. A first-generation entrepreneur, Sumant founded ReNew in 2011.[3]

Early life and education

Sumant Sinha was born in Delhi as the son of Yashwant Sinha and Nilima Sinha.[4] He completed his schooling from St. Columba's School, Delhi and his graduation in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, in 1987.[1] Later, in 1989, he earned a post graduate diploma in business management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. Thereafter he spent two years working with Tata Administrative Services. In 1991, Sumant went to New York pursue a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University. [5][6]

Career

Sumant Sinha started his career with a two year stint at Tata Administrative Services in 1989. Thereafter, Sumant worked as an investment banker at Citicorp Securities and ING Barings in the US and the UK. [7] He returned to India in 2002 and became the Chief Financial Officer at the Aditya Birla Group. It was during his time as the CFO that Aditya Birla Group acquired Ultratech Cement, Novelis, and Idea Cellular.[8] Sumant led the creation of Aditya Birla Group’s retail arm, Aditya Birla Retail Limited, where he served as Chief Executive Officer from 2007 to 2008.[5] Later, in 2008, he joined Suzlon Energy, one of India’s largest wind energy companies at the time, as Chief Operations Officer.[9]

In 2011, he founded ReNew, an independent renewable power producer and a decarbonisation solutions provider, headquartered in Gurgaon.[10]

Sumant is a regular speaker at various international fora such as the World Economic Forum,[11] UNFCCC COP,[12] Climate Week NY,[13] CERA Week,[14] and leading global universities. He has written more than 150 opinion pieces on climate change, renewable energy and sustainable economic growth. Sumant is the author of the book, Fossil Free: Reimagining Clean Energy in a Carbon Constrained World.[15]

Sumant has served on the boards of IIT Delhi, IIM Calcutta and the Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Apart from this, he chairs the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) in India and is a member of the Board of GWEC globally. Sumant is member of the Board of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. During 2022-23, he served as the President of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). Sumant co-chaired the Electricity Governor’s Group at the World Economic Forum. He is a founding member of the First Movers Coalition and co-chairs the CEO Climate Leaders Alliance India.[5] In 2018, The Economic Times named him as ET Entrepreneur of The Year.[16]

ReNew

Sumant set up ReNew in 2011 with a plan to have at least 1,000 MW of capacity by 2015.[17] In March 2014, ReNew won its first solar power bid, a 57.6MW project in Madhya Pradesh. Sumant led ReNew, going from zero to 5,800 MW of commissioned capacity in six years, making it one of India's largest independent renewable energy producers.[18][19]

As of 2023, ReNew’s clean energy portfolio of 13.4 GWs, one of the largest globally. The Sumant Sinha ReNew Centre of Excellence for Energy and Environment in IIT Delhi was established in 2016 to encourage and support research in renewable science and technology.[20][21]

Family

Sinha is married to Vaishali Nigam Sinha.[22] They have two children.

Awards and recognition

Year Award/Recognition
2015 Renewable Energy Leader of the Year 2015[23]
2017 Renewable Energy India Awards 2017 Industry Crusader Of The Year, Jury Recognition[24]
2017 "Torch Bearer Of The Year", by Solar Week Leadership Awards[25]
2017 "Champion Of Tomorrow" by CEO Awards; "Outstanding Start-up of the Year" Forbes India Leadership Award 2017[26]
2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017[27]
2018 Economic Times as Entrepreneur of the Year – for 2018[16]
2018 IIT Delhi Distinguished Alumnus Award – for 2018[28]
2019 IIM Calcutta Distinguished Alumnus Award – for 2019[29]
2021 UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDG) Pioneer[30]

References

  1. ^ a b "People often confuse noise with aggression: Sumant Sinha - Livemint". www.livemint.com. 2 June 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Sumant Sinha | Energy". energy.stanford.edu. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  3. ^ Mukul, Jyoti (31 October 2019). "ReNew Power becomes 11th firm globally to reach 5,000-Mw green capacity". Business Standard India. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  4. ^ "rediff.com: Meet Sinha Jr: Managing finance runs in the blood". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "Sumant Sinha: Executive Profile & Biography". Bloomberg. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Sumant Sinha, chairman and managing director, ReNew Power Limited". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Sumant Sinha". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Sumant Sinha starts own firm | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Why Sumant Sinha chose clean energy over politics". Rediff. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  10. ^ Malik, Aman (18 April 2014). "The business interests of Jayant Sinha". Livemint. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  11. ^ www.ETEnergyworld.com. "ReNew Power becomes world's first clean energy firm to enter WEF's Global Lighthouse Network - ET EnergyWorld". ETEnergyworld.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  12. ^ Anand, Saurav (9 November 2022). "COP27 Summit: ReNew Power pledges to restore, grow 1 million trees by 2030". mint. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Climate Group welcomes two new Trustees to the UK Board". Climate Group. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Speakers". CERAWeek. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Freedom from fossil fuels will depend on developing countries". Hindustan Times. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  16. ^ a b "ET Awards 2018 for Entrepreneur of the Year: Sumant Sinha, Chairman & MD, ReNew Power Ventures". The Economic Times. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  17. ^ "ReNew Power Ventures: Impressing investors with outstanding performance | Forbes India". Forbes India. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Post Suzlon, Sumant Sinha gets Goldman cash to reap the wind | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  19. ^ Barman, Arijit (20 December 2011). "Lunch with BS: Sumant Sinha". Business Standard India. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  20. ^ "ReNew Power | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi". www.iitd.ac.in. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  21. ^ "ReNew unveils new brand identity as it reinforces leadership in providing decarbonisation solutions". Yahoo Finance. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  22. ^ Kalesh, Baiju (5 April 2014). "Vaishali Nigam Sinha's journey from i-Banking to iCharity". The Economic Times. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Sumant Sinha takes charge as Chairman of the CII Northern Region | EQ Int'l Magazine". www.eqmagpro.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Renewable Energy Awards 2017". www.reiaward.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Sumant Sinha". Economic Times. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  26. ^ "FILA 2017: Glimpses from the Forbes India Leadership Awards night | Forbes India". Forbes India. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  27. ^ "EY announces 16 finalists for its 19th EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award Program". The Economic Times. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  28. ^ "IIT Delhi Confers Distinguished Alumnus Award 2018 On Sumant Sinha". India Education Diary. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  29. ^ "Sumant Sinha honoured with the distinguished alumnus award by IIM Calcutta". Solar Quarter. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  30. ^ of India, Press Trust (17 June 2021). "ReNew Power CMD Sumant Sinha recongnied as SDG Poineers by UNGC". Economic Times. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
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