Paul Nel

Paul Nel is the CEO of 7SecondSolar and leads AutoPV™, the company’s platform transforming utility-scale solar PV development through advanced design automation. With over 30 years of experience in the energy sector, he has worked across hydro, gas, and renewable energy projects throughout Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

He began his career at Eskom, where he spent 18 years working on hydro and pumped storage projects, later becoming Engineering Manager for the hydro and gas turbine fleet. He then joined Zutari (formerly Aurecon), where he established and grew a renewable energy business delivering solar, wind, hydro, and transmission projects globally.

Paul has a strong interest in data and computational design, which underpins his focus on accelerating the deployment of sustainable energy. Since becoming CEO in 2022, he has been driving innovation in how large-scale solar projects are designed and delivered.