CEO Insights Magazine

Iran's energy sector leaders are fostering innovation in a challenging environment while juggling the nation's abundant natural resources with the world's energy changes. To increase the production of oil, gas, and renewable energy, they are skillfully navigating the sanctions regime and utilizing native knowledge. Dr Mohammad Sajad Naghavi, CEO of Matin Energy Development Company, is a prominent energy engineer. Following his graduation, Dr Naghavi headed the renewable energy division of a multinational corporation in Malaysia, supervising energy-saving programs and solar photovoltaic power plant projects throughout the Middle East and ASEAN region. After serving in this capacity for five fruitful years, he went back to Iran and became the CEO of Matin Energy Development Company.

Dr Naghavi researched and taught about solar thermal systems, photovoltaic systems, and phase-change material thermal energy storage while working at the University of Malaya. He obtained several research papers and patents for novel technology, taught many undergraduate and graduate students, and made significant contributions to prestigious scientific journals. He established his name in the field even more when his research won important prizes in international contests and symposiums. Along with his extensive knowledge of renewable energy, Dr Naghavi is also a published author.

Embarking in an engaging interaction with CEO Insights Asia magazine, Dr Naghavi shares his strategies, future roadmap, and much more. Let’s delve into it.

Please introduce us to Matin Energy Development company and also tell us about its area of expertise.

With more than 20 years of expertise in the energy industry, Matin Energy Development Company is particularly skilled in constructing and providing consultancy services for different kinds of power plants. We have experience in gas turbine power plants, steam power plants, combined cycle power plants, and solar and wind energy as renewable energy sources.

Over the last twenty years, we have successfully completed more than 80 mega-scale projects and are now heading up several significant projects as an EPC contractor, such as a 500-megawatt combined cycle power plant in southern Iran.

In addition to this, we advise investors in the construction of new power plants. Our primary focus is on energy generation and improving energy management throughout the country, to address the electricity shortages in Iran by building more power plants.

What are the ways you find these experiences beneficial in bringing strategic insight and governance expertise as a leader?

One of my key strategies was to build a strong, unified, and effective team. We focused on hiring experts and enhancing the skills of existing employees through training, specialized courses, and personal development programs. This not only improved the quality of work but also fostered a culture where everyone feels they belong and play an important role in the company's success.

We updated our website and improved our online presence on social media sites such as LinkedIn and authentic news sites to make sure clients knew what we could do and where we might help. These strategies have been extremely beneficial in having a strong external brand presence and an internal team that works well together to create sustainable growth.

How do you stay updated with the latest market trends, growth opportunities, and technological advancements?

Our team comprises individuals who have had positions with government agencies in the past. Their in-depth knowledge of industry standards, legal requirements, and project management techniques enables us to provide clients in the public and private sectors with tailored solutions.

We also actively take part in the nation's main energy and electricity-related conferences, fairs, and seminars. This keeps us up to date on emerging trends, technological advancements, and market demands.

We also participate in community-based initiatives that support sustainability, such as setting up small solar power systems for low-income rural homes. We support green energy culture while making a community contribution by assisting these families in making money by selling electricity to the government.

What is your anticipation on the market, going forward?

I see substantial expansion in Iran's energy market in the near future. The industrial sector's need for power is growing quickly. At the moment, only 90,000 megawatts are produced and 20,000 megawatts are needed immediately, with a growth rate of about 8,000 megawatts per year. This leaves a huge gap that necessitates the construction of new power plants totaling at least 40,000 megawatts from a variety of sources, including gas, fossil fuels, solar, wind, and even atomic power within next 5 years.

What is the future roadmap that you have envisioned for your company?

We hope to rank among the industry's best businesses by landing important contracts and providing cutting-edge energy solutions. We are continuously looking to collaborate with foreign businesses that provide cutting-edge goods and technology to improve the caliber of services we provide to our customers.

Our vision for the next 10 years is to expand our engineering, executive, and investment management teams to increase the number of solar and wind power plants. We aim to focus on sustainable energy solutions while improving the asset management of existing fossil fuel power plants to reduce their environmental impact.

Dr Mohammad Sajad Naghavi, CEO, Matin Energy Development Company

Dr Naghavi holds a PhD in Solar Energy Technology from the University of Malaya and completed a post-doctorate in energy at the University of Tehran. With a strong background in renewable energy, he has worked extensively on solar Energy systems, energy storage, and Energy Efficiency systems. Dr Naghavi has lectured on thermodynamics and energy systems analysis, contributed to policy improvements, and authored over 30 papers in international journals.