BrightNight Announces Key Appointments to Drive Growth in Australia

Appoints Brian Morris as CCO and Katie Barnett as CFO

MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BrightNight, the next-generation global renewable power producer, is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Morris as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Katie Barnett as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of its Australia platform. These strategic appointments come as BrightNight accelerates its expansion in the Australian renewable energy sector.

Brian Morris, CCO, Australia

BrightNight is soon to commence construction of Mortlake Energy Hub, Victoria's largest integrated hybrid renewable energy project, after receiving grid and development approval in 2024. Further, the company plans to expand its portfolio of large-scale, multi-technology renewable power projects to serve the Australian market. 

Leadership Appointments to Strengthen BrightNight Australia's Capabilities

Brian Morris brings more than 30 years of experience in energy trading, renewable energy strategy, and risk management to the role of CCO. He has a proven track record of securing long-term revenue contracts and building strategic partnerships with key stakeholders. As an advocate for sustainability, Brian's values align closely with BrightNight's mission to deliver reliable and affordable renewable power. He currently serves on the board of the Energy Users Association of Australia and previously the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity, further demonstrating his leadership in the industry. Brian joins us from Macquarie Group where he served as Director with the Green Investments business. He holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.

Katie Barnett joins BrightNight with over two decades of experience in power markets, energy finance, and energy Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A). She has an impressive track record of leading over 50 transactions exceeding A$18 billion (about $12 billion). As CFO, Katie will play a pivotal role in securing capital for BrightNight's multi-gigawatt portfolio expansion in Australia. Her leadership and expertise in large-scale project financing and M&A transactions will be critical as BrightNight scales its operations. Prior to joining BrightNight, she was with PwC as a partner in their Energy Transition, Deals and M&A department, helping advance their utility-scale storage practice. Katie has also held senior roles at Origin Energy in renewable energy and corporate development and was the founding CEO and CFO of PowAR (now Tilt Renewables), overseeing an A$1.5 billion (roughly $1 billion) portfolio of onshore wind and solar projects. Katie earned a Master in Applied Finance from Macquarie University and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Strategic Growth and Vision for Australia

Jerome Ortiz, CEO of BrightNight APAC, said: "Brian and Katie's wealth of experience and industry track record will be invaluable in the execution and growth of our business in Australia. As Australia transitions towards more complex dispatchable energy solutions to meet its 2050 net-zero target, BrightNight aims to play a key role in enabling clean and reliable round-the-clock power." 

Brian Morris commented: "I am excited to join BrightNight at this critical time in the energy transition. BrightNight's cutting-edge technology and analytical capability, combined with a team of industry leaders, has already set the stage for a gigawatt-scale portfolio of world-class energy solutions. I look forward to helping steer the company's growth in Australia as we continue to deliver firm, renewable baseload power for customers."

Katie Barnett added: "I'm thrilled to join BrightNight during this pivotal phase of its growth. With the company's proven ability to deliver transformative energy solutions, I am keen to apply my extensive Australian power and capital markets experience to contribute to the expansion of BrightNight's global portfolio and bring their Australian projects to fruition. The future of renewable energy is here, and BrightNight is well-positioned to lead the charge."

Brian is based in Melbourne, Victoria, and Katie lives in Sydney in New South Wales.

ABOUT BRIGHTNIGHT

BrightNight is the first global renewable integrated power company designed to provide utility and commercial and industrial customers with clean, dispatchable renewable power solutions. BrightNight works with customers across the U.S. and Asia Pacific to design, develop, and operate safe, reliable, large-scale renewable power projects optimised to better manage the intermittent nature of renewable energy. Its deep customer engagement process, team of proven power experts, and industry-leading solutions enable customers to overcome challenging energy sustainability standards, rapidly changing grid dynamics, and the transition away from fossil fuel generation. To learn more, visit: www.brightnightpower.com

Katie Barnett, CFO, Australia

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