Ember’s expanded leadership team will drive expansion in Asia and AI

Ember’s latest moves to strengthen its leadership team – while leveraging new funding to expand its impact in Asia and with AI innovation – will ensure that key decision-makers shaping the future of energy have timely and trusted data insights to navigate rapidly shifting markets

Ember is pleased to announce that Phil MacDonald has returned from paternity leave to lead the organisation as Chief Executive Officer, while Aditya Lolla has been appointed into a new role as Deputy CEO. The strengthened leadership team, supported by an experienced board of directors and a global advisory board, provides the operational maturity required to scale Ember’s influence on the energy transition during this critical decade. 

Phil MacDonald co-founded Ember in 2020, alongside Dave Jones and Charles Moore, and was appointed Managing Director in 2023 as Ember expanded rapidly around the world. Under his leadership, Ember has increased its geographic footprint to 25 countries, enabling the organisation to support evidence-based policy in key emerging markets.

Aditya Lolla joined Ember in 2020 to establish our work in South Asia. In 2023, he was appointed as Asia Director, expanding Ember’s work into ASEAN and China. In the last year, while Phil was on parental leave, Aditya steered the organisation as interim MD, securing major new grants to expand our impact in Asia, as well as establishing new partnerships to expand our transport electrification work and to co-author the Statistical Review of World Energy.  

Building on this record, Aditya’s appointment also reflects Ember’s long-term commitment to deepening its work in Asia, the epicentre of the global energy system. It will ensure our data and analysis directly inform the world’s most critical decisions in Asia, the major driver of energy demand growth and the hub of the electrotech revolution. In September, Ember will publish the second edition of its China Energy Transition Review, which contextualises the mega-trends emerging from China that are shaping the global energy transition. 

As the energy system undergoes a technological revolution, the benefits are not evenly distributed around the planet. To reduce the time it takes for insights to reach energy policymakers and investors across every geography, Ember is now investing in AI to enhance our work while maintaining the data rigour that makes us a trusted data source for leading institutions worldwide.

Aditya Lolla, Ember’s new Deputy CEO, commented:

“In a world where energy markets are changing faster than ever, with the second fossil shock in just four years, it has never been more important to help decision-makers think one step ahead with the very latest data and cutting-edge insights. This is what Ember’s expert team provides.“

Phil MacDonald, Ember’s CEO, commented:

“At the heart of Ember’s work these past six years is a commitment to trust, transparency and analytical rigour. As the world navigates a volatile and shifting energy landscape, amid major disruption to the information landscape as a result of AI, our role is to provide the critical intelligence that decision-makers need to build resilient energy systems. Our new leadership structure sets us up for success in our next steps. By integrating trusted data and deep domain expertise with AI-driven agility, we aim to ensure that global energy strategy is defined by the latest facts, helping to build a secure energy future.”