Reji Kumar Pillai
President, India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF)
Chairman, Global Smart Energy Federation (GSEF)

Reji is the President of India Smart Grid Forum (www.indiasmartgrid.org) since its inception in 2011 and is also the Chairman of Global Smart Grid Federation since November 2016. He an internationally renowned expert with nearly four decades of experience in the electricity sector in diverse functions covering the entire value chain and across continents. He is spearheading a mission to leverage technology to transform the electric grid in India and provide clean and reliable electricity to every citizen 24x7 at affordable cost. He is actively advocating for the “Right to Electricity Act” that will ensure lifeline supply of electricity to all citizens in India. Reji has played pivotal role in several ground breaking initiatives related to renewable energy, electric grid modernization, electric mobility, energy storage and digitalization in India during the past two decades. His current areas of research and work include: Grid Integrated Vehicles, District Cooling, Electric Cooking, Smart Grids as Anchor Infrastructure for Smart Cities, Grid Interactive Buildings and Campuses; Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Blockchain Applications for Utilities; Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Systems and the Future of Transportation; and Interconnection of Regional Grids in Asia - ASEAN, SAARC and GCC grids.

In November 2016, Reji was unanimously elected as Chairman of Global Smart Grid Federation, now renamed as Global Smart Energy Federation (GSEF), a global umbrella organization of smart grid/energy associations and utilities from 16 countries and the European Union; and headquartered in Washington DC, USA. As an entrepreneur, Reji has built successful enterprises in India and overseas and exited them. He has studied Engineering, Finance, Management and Law; worked with NTPC and IBM and has been senior consultant with ADB, World Bank and USAID. A recognized thought leader in clean energy, smart grid technologies, smart cities and electric mobility, Reji is a popular key-note speaker at international symposiums and conferences on these domains. He has also contributed to several articles, books, research reports and white papers on variety of topics.

Reena Suri
Executive Director
India Smart Grid Forum

Reena Suri, Executive Director with India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) since 2013, brings over 19 years of experience in the Energy Sector. She is responsible for the research projects, advisory services, business development, training and capacity building programs, customer outreach activities, member’s relations and finances of ISGF. Reena has contributed to the various advisory services, whitepapers and research reports of ISGF such as: Implementation Plan for Electrification of Public Transportation in Kolkata City; Smart Grid Handbook for Regulators and other Stakeholder; Blockchain for Electric Utilities; Energy Storage Roadmap for India; Smart Grid Roadmap for Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd; Development of Roadmap for Implementation of Smart Grid – Concepts, Practices and Technologies in SAARC Region; Study on Infrastructure and Enabling Environment for Road Electric Transport in SAARC Member States; and World Bank EV Project: EV Ecosystem Support for Kolkata.

Reena is the founder-editor of the Smart Grid Bulletin published by ISGF since January 2014 which has online circulation of over 50,000 senior professionals in 100+ countries. As an outreach specialist, she has been involved in development of the Customer Outreach programs for the utilities implementing the Smart Grid projects in India. The outreach program helps the utilities to educate the project benefits to the customers well in advance of the start of project implementation. Reena is also responsible for designing and delivering training and capacity building programs on various domains of Smart Grids for Policy Makers, Regulators and Utility Officials. Reena is instrumental in making the India Smart Grid Knowledge Portal (www.indiasmartgrid.org), one of the most popular portals on smart grids globally.

Reena has worked with ISGF Board to conceive, design, develop and the successful delivery of ISGF’s Annual Event, India Smart Utility Week (ISUW, www.isuw.in) since 2015. She is the principal show director of ISUW which in a short span has grown to be the signature event on Smart Grids and Smart Cities around the world.