Awadhesh K Jha Executive Director

Mr. Awadhesh Jha is the Executive Director of GLIDA (Formerly known as Fortum Charge & Drive India). He is a passionate electric mobility supporter and an industry influ­encer renowned for his thought leadership and ability to inspire global audiences.

He is highly sought-after as a keynote speaker for confer­ences covering a wide range of topics, including charging infra­structure, technology solutions for smart mobility, battery swapping, sustain­ability, and the future of mobility. Additionally, he serves as an industry advisor, actively partic­i­pating in policy discus­sions aimed at advancing the EV ecosystem.

His speeches blend deep insights and passionate story­telling to inspire people to discover the impact electric mobility can bring to human gener­a­tions today and tomorrow.

He has been working with Fortum since July 2014. Prior to Fortum, he worked with the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India for 15 years followed by six years in Hindustan Power Projects Private Ltd where Awadhesh was instru­mental in securing concession of hydro projects and its devel­opment.

Awadhesh has over 28 years of experience in the energy industry spanning across the Government and Private sectors. He brings with him first-hand experience in Policy formu­lation, Strategic Planning, General Management, Business Devel­opment, Project Devel­opment in PPP mode, Land Acqui­sition, Environment & Forest Clear­ances and its compli­ances, Contract Documen­tation & Management, Techno-Commercial Negoti­ation, Asset Management of Solar Projects, estab­lishing and running a new business in Power Sector by assuming a leadership position in Private and Government sector.

Awadhesh has been instru­mental in devel­oping an EHS management system and proce­dures in Hindustan Power projects and for Fortum India as well. Sustain­ability Due Diligence and Supplier’s assessment of sustain­ability/​EHS standards has been one of his strong areas.

A Civil Engineering Graduate, Awadhesh also holds a Master’s in Business Admin­is­tration for Working Managers from IIM Lucknow.Awadhesh is quite active on LinkedIn and shares his thought across various topics ranging from electric mobility to hydro to sustain­ability. In his leisure he likes to indulge in reading, watching Bollywood movies, cricket matches etc. During his college days, he was an avid orator and quiz partic­ipant.