New Head of Government Affairs for Europe appointed

Lightsource bp is pleased to announce the appointment of Francisco Beirão as the company’s new Head of Government Affairs for Europe and the set-up of its newest office in Brussels, focussed on stakeholder engagement.

This move and Francisco’s appointment will play a key role in developing and shaping Lightsource bp’s stakeholder engagement strategy to align with European Union objectives while supporting the rapid growth of solar. Lightsource bp is currently developing utility scale solar projects across seven Member States and the United Kingdom. Lightsource bp’s European project pipeline is currently 9GW and the company most recently announced market entry into Greece and a 703MW acquisition in Spain.

As former Head of the Portuguese utility Energias de Portugal (EDP) office in Brussels, Francisco has spent the last five years progressing EDP’s engagement across the European Union Institutions, NGOs and think tanks. Francisco has also served as Vice-President of the Belgian-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, championing the sustainable use of oceans for offshore wind energy.

Kareen Boutonnat, CEO for Europe & International comments: “In just a few years we have grown our European business to significant scale, and there is still much more to do. If we are to realise solar’s potential to cut carbon and create jobs as an industry, we need meaningful partnerships between the public and private sectors that will result in expedited and sustainable action, required to address the climate crisis.”

“Francisco’s experience and establishing Lightsource bp in Brussels will ensure we are able to be informed and connected within the ever-changing policy landscape across the EU and able to lend our decade-long experience to stakeholders across both policy and energy sectors. We want to contribute actively towards shaping best practice for the energy sector and work collaboratively to adopt and drive this energy transition.”

Francisco added: “This is an exciting time for Lightsource bp and the wider industry, with renewables set to ramp up as governments step up the pace to decarbonise their energy sectors. I’m optimistic about the opportunities and challenges ahead. Lightsource bp has recently entered two new markets across Europe and this trend is set to continue. I look forward to helping Lightsource bp continue to deliver solar projects across the continent, contributing towards the EU’s 2030 decarbonisation target and 2050 net zero ambition.”

Francisco started his career at Banif Investment Banking and subsequently Santander based in Portugal, as an Equity Research Analyst, and holds a degree in Management and Business Administration. He then resided in Madrid to work with EDP Renováveis, progressing from Analyst to Director of Investor Relations and eventually leading the Brussels office.

Lightsource bp is currently recruiting across numerous teams worldwide. View their latest opportunities and find out more about life at Lightsource bp.