Speakers

Grant Berndsen is CEO of Terra Firma, where he leads the company’s work delivering smart, clean energy solutions to commercial and industrial customers across Southern Africa. A qualified civil engineer with an MBA, Grant brings deep experience in utility scale, C&I, and hybrid power solutions, and has worked on projects across South Africa and the continent. 

He began his career as an engineer in the construction sector and has played a leading role in building the renewable energy industry in South Africa and beyond, with over a decade of executive experience. As VP of Development at Solaire Direct, the South African subsidiary of French utility Engie, he led the development of a 1 GW solar PV pipeline and secured two successful bids in Round 2 of South Africa’s REIPPPP, overseeing the projects from bid to commissioning. 

Since 2014, Grant has also served as Director of Infrastream, an advisory and project development company supporting private energy projects for developers, sponsors and investors across Africa, including for mines and large industrial clients. 

He joined Terra Firma in 2023 to build on its strong track record and position the business at the forefront of energy transformation. He is passionate about delivering smarter, more holistic solutions through technologies like battery storage, wheeled energy and technology enabled smart metering and software solutions.