Executives
David Arenburg - President and Project Developer
David Arenburg is an early-stage start-up specialist with extensive industry and government expertise. Local, regional, and industrial funding for business growth is his primary interest. In the government he successfully led efforts to increase long standing sales for Canadian business participation in military and large industrial purchases in the aerospace sector. Upon leaving the Government as a consultant in 1998, Mr. Arenburg worked in sales, mergers, and acquisitions for the publishing and solar industries. Examples include over 750M published titles in China and over $770M of solar sales in Canada and internationally. His entrepreneurial interests are team building and employee enhancement supported by strong leadership.
Gareth Jones - Chief Financial Officer and Finance Specialist
Gareth D. Jones has been an investor in global public and private infrastructure since 2005 and has closed more than $20 billion worth of transactions across multiple sectors. In addition to his work as Chief Financial Officer for DAI, Gareth is the lead negotiator for the Government of Canada’s $1.44B investment into the $7B Telesat Lightspeed project. That investment was announced in August 2021 and is expected to reach financial close in Q3-2022.
Gareth joined DAI and the Government of Canada from The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest and most diversified global investment firms, with $217 billion of assets under management. His accomplishments at Carlyle include leading Carlyle’s first ever real asset credit investment and helping to raise over $1B in investor capital for Carlyle Global Credit.
Prior to Carlyle, Gareth advised the Prime Minister and other federal ministers on infrastructure and investment policy, including leading negotiations and due diligence on the Montreal REM project, and leading advisory work on the establishment of the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Before public service, Gareth worked at Merrill Lynch Commodities, where he led teams making principal investments in excess of $1B annually in power and renewable energy assets in North America. Earlier in his career, Gareth worked in venture capital investing at Lazard in San Francisco. Gareth has also served as an advisor to the World Bank and its member nations.
Gareth joined DAI and the Government of Canada from The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest and most diversified global investment firms, with $217 billion of assets under management. His accomplishments at Carlyle include leading Carlyle’s first ever real asset credit investment and helping to raise over $1B in investor capital for Carlyle Global Credit.
Prior to Carlyle, Gareth advised the Prime Minister and other federal ministers on infrastructure and investment policy, including leading negotiations and due diligence on the Montreal REM project, and leading advisory work on the establishment of the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Before public service, Gareth worked at Merrill Lynch Commodities, where he led teams making principal investments in excess of $1B annually in power and renewable energy assets in North America. Earlier in his career, Gareth worked in venture capital investing at Lazard in San Francisco. Gareth has also served as an advisor to the World Bank and its member nations.
Joe Jordan - Domestic and International Government Specialist
The Honourable Joseph Louis Jordan P.C.
Joe Jordan has spent the last fifteen years at the forefront of solar energy development internationally. At the helm of Upper Canada Solar during the Ontario Renewable Energy Standing Offer and Feed-in Tariff Programs, he managed the installation of over eighty-five systems which included two 10 Mega-watt builds. UCS also designed and installed proprietary single-axis tracking technology for small-scale ground mount projects.
As a former federal Member of Parliament, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, he applies his unique combination of experience and expertise to ensure we develop the necessary relationships with our public-sector partners and view our project proposals through a political lens that focuses on aligning interests.
Joe has been working with DAI since 2009 and also works directly with contacts at the World Bank on implementing the critical components of Social Responsibility and Social License, so that DAI Projects leverage the benefits among domestic populations.
Additionally, Joe has been a university and college professor, most recently as a part-time faculty member at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He has worked directly with St. Lawrence College to develop the curriculum for installation and maintenance certificates that are put in place locally to support the ongoing sustainability of our builds.
Joe Jordan has spent the last fifteen years at the forefront of solar energy development internationally. At the helm of Upper Canada Solar during the Ontario Renewable Energy Standing Offer and Feed-in Tariff Programs, he managed the installation of over eighty-five systems which included two 10 Mega-watt builds. UCS also designed and installed proprietary single-axis tracking technology for small-scale ground mount projects.
As a former federal Member of Parliament, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, he applies his unique combination of experience and expertise to ensure we develop the necessary relationships with our public-sector partners and view our project proposals through a political lens that focuses on aligning interests.
Joe has been working with DAI since 2009 and also works directly with contacts at the World Bank on implementing the critical components of Social Responsibility and Social License, so that DAI Projects leverage the benefits among domestic populations.
Additionally, Joe has been a university and college professor, most recently as a part-time faculty member at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He has worked directly with St. Lawrence College to develop the curriculum for installation and maintenance certificates that are put in place locally to support the ongoing sustainability of our builds.
David Cork - Project Opportunity Identification and Execution
David is the Founder of Aspen Solar Management Inc. He provides management and administrative oversight for 6 mid-sized Solar projects owned in partnership with First Nations in Eastern Ontario.
David is one of five Co-Founders of Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative which successfully raised and invested $8.6M in local Ottawa Solar projects.
David was a key member of the management team at iSolara Solar Power from 2010 through 2015. During that period, he directed the company’s exceptional growth in the Ottawa Valley markets.
David was past Chair of the MicroFIT Working Group, a volunteer position under CanSIA, which provided government advocacy and regulatory advice to the Provincial Ministry of Energy.
David has over 25 years of management experience in Ottawa hi-tech companies including Nortel, Mitel and Natural Convergence.
David holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He is a past member of the Advisory Board for University of Waterloo's Conrad Centre for Entrepreneurship in Technology.
David is one of five Co-Founders of Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative which successfully raised and invested $8.6M in local Ottawa Solar projects.
David was a key member of the management team at iSolara Solar Power from 2010 through 2015. During that period, he directed the company’s exceptional growth in the Ottawa Valley markets.
David was past Chair of the MicroFIT Working Group, a volunteer position under CanSIA, which provided government advocacy and regulatory advice to the Provincial Ministry of Energy.
David has over 25 years of management experience in Ottawa hi-tech companies including Nortel, Mitel and Natural Convergence.
David holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He is a past member of the Advisory Board for University of Waterloo's Conrad Centre for Entrepreneurship in Technology.
Azam Khan - Project Developer
Azam Khan’s 35-year successful career has provided him with the knowledge and access to decision makers both in government and industry.
He is a leader in project development, specifically identifying different technical options in early project development stages. He is a dual national of Canada and Pakistan who resides in Canada. He leads the in-country project development, government relations and finance activities of projects globally.
Prior to joining the renewable energy industry, he has helped lead various successful joint ventures between South Asian countries and the developed nations in the fields of health care, education and technology.
With his business experience, astute nature and his South Asian background, Mr. Khan possesses a unique advantage that helps him build connections globally.
He is a leader in project development, specifically identifying different technical options in early project development stages. He is a dual national of Canada and Pakistan who resides in Canada. He leads the in-country project development, government relations and finance activities of projects globally.
Prior to joining the renewable energy industry, he has helped lead various successful joint ventures between South Asian countries and the developed nations in the fields of health care, education and technology.
With his business experience, astute nature and his South Asian background, Mr. Khan possesses a unique advantage that helps him build connections globally.
Robin Adamson - Technical Market and System Specialist
Since 2016, Robin has worked with DAI both from the perspective as a partner company to Canadian Solar Inc. and as a member of the project development team as a part of the DAI team.
Robin brings intense business development experience on utility scale network integration and distributed energy schemas, (East coast US and federal for Trimark in California) as well as business development of the Microgrid and Hybrid Solutions division of Canadian Solar. For Trimark Robin was responsible for the marketplace development of their microgrid control systems and the successful implementation of a distributed energy system for National Grid in New England. At Canadian Solar Robin’s role included the establishment vetting of major international multi-generation type projects.
As a business development professional his skills range from technical evaluation, sales to review and finalization of government-to-government agreements on large scale projects.
Robin brings intense business development experience on utility scale network integration and distributed energy schemas, (East coast US and federal for Trimark in California) as well as business development of the Microgrid and Hybrid Solutions division of Canadian Solar. For Trimark Robin was responsible for the marketplace development of their microgrid control systems and the successful implementation of a distributed energy system for National Grid in New England. At Canadian Solar Robin’s role included the establishment vetting of major international multi-generation type projects.
As a business development professional his skills range from technical evaluation, sales to review and finalization of government-to-government agreements on large scale projects.
Bill Buba - Finance Identification Specialist
Bill is the CEO of Biosila Energy, a Toronto-based renewable energy company that develops solar projects internationally. He has over 35 years of business development experience in Canada, Poland, Ukraine, Mauritius, and South Africa. After earning a business degree from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto, Bill started and developed a mortgage trading business. Also, Bill developed, owned, and operated businesses in the textiles and fast-food industries.
Bill was on a record four consecutive national hockey championship teams with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and was a member of the Canadian Student National Team that won a silver medal in the World Student Games in 1972. Bill played professional ice hockey in Austria and Japan and enjoyed playing golf with a low handicap.
Bill was on a record four consecutive national hockey championship teams with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and was a member of the Canadian Student National Team that won a silver medal in the World Student Games in 1972. Bill played professional ice hockey in Austria and Japan and enjoyed playing golf with a low handicap.
Mario Contreras - Project Financing Structure
Mario José Contreras is a Director for Kratos Capital Partners, overseeing Business Development activities in Central America, Caribbean, and Andean regions. He has over 18 years of broad industry experience across Renewable Energy (solar and biomass), Oil and Gas, and finance sectors. His experience in the energy industry spans the renewable value chain and LNG-to-Power generation projects covering project finance advisory, strategy, planning, risk management, analysis, and corporate development.
Mario previously had leadership positions in Risk Management, Marketing and Sales divisions within Citibank and Banco de America Central. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and International Business from The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Mario previously had leadership positions in Risk Management, Marketing and Sales divisions within Citibank and Banco de America Central. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and International Business from The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Matt Wells - Project Coordinator and Corporate Administration
Matt joined DAI in February 2021 after graduating with a degree in Environmental Studies at Carleton University. Matt is responsible for the coordination of financial systems, intercompany coordination, and corporate records.
Advisory Council
Mohsim Syed, industrialist in public/private partnerships.
Geordi Kakepetum, remote community specialist.
Roger Pemberton, process specialist in reaching successful project completion.
Mark Wells, engineered solutions.
Abdoulaye Diallo, international development banks.
Geordi Kakepetum, remote community specialist.
Roger Pemberton, process specialist in reaching successful project completion.
Mark Wells, engineered solutions.
Abdoulaye Diallo, international development banks.
© 2021 DAI Inc