Dr Ali Azwar has been appointed as the Managing Director of State Electric Company Limited (STELCO), as confirmed by the Privatisation and Corporatisation Board (PCB).
Azwar joined STELCO in 1997 as a trainee and rose through multiple technical and administrative roles over his 20-year career. He was serving as the Deputy Managing Director of STELCO prior to his appointment as the Managing Director. He has a strong background in energy policy, strategic leadership, operations, finance, and business development, and has played a key role in guiding the company. He earlier served as Chief Operating Officer, when he worked hard to strengthen the company's management and formulate policies appropriate for the Maldives' energy needs.
Azwar has also served as an Executive Director on STELCO’s board, as well as Non-Executive Director at Fuel Supply Maldives (FSM). He holds a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington, basing his thesis on renewable energy in small island states. He holds a Master in Public Policy from National University of Singapore and Bachelor’s (Honours) from the University of Sheffield. His work and research centre on renewable energy and policy development for island nations.
Azwar has also participated in global seminars on renewable energy, disaster risk reduction and communication, and completed corporate governance training.