Nitin Sabikhi is a professional with over 16 years of experience in marketing, business development, strategy, energy policy, and the renewables and electricity markets. Currently, he is head, markets, ReNew Power. He was also a founding member of the Indian Electricity Exchange. Prior to this, he worked with Tata Power and CRM Services.
Sabikhi believes the most exciting part of his current role is the opportunity to leverage ReNew’s high intellectual capital. “In my short stint, I have been able to experience learning through not only opportunities presented to me but also through this company’s ability to present new ideas, and its ability to execute them. It’s always satisfying to contribute to a growing organisation and stay ahead of the curve. It is also a great motivation for me to be part of a company that is making a difference by building a green future responsibly,” he says.
The task for renewable energy developers, he says, has been cut out ever since the prime minister raised the bar for clean energy at Glasgow. “We find ourselves at the cusp of history being written, wherein India can assume global leadership in clean energy. As a renewable energy developer, the strategic priority should be execution. The second priority should be securing finance for projects. Financing is important because as the sector evolves, we are likely to see more complex constructs such as peak power and RTC gain traction over plain vanilla bids. These projects will require significant investments and, therefore, serious players should be prepared with adequate financing to capture the opportunities. Third and perhaps the most important, is investment in technology and research,” he says.
In terms of management style, Sabikhi emphasises the need to “anticipate and navigate”. He says, “It is important for a leader to recognise new patterns, push through ambiguity and seek new heights. My philosophy has been that if you work with commitment, dedication and willingness to try new things, you either win or learn, but never lose. I love to question the status quo and encourage my team to do the same.”
Sabikhi is an IT graduate with a PGDBM (marketing) from Symbiosis, Pune, and an MBA (power management) from UPES, Dehradun. In his spare time, he likes to socialise and break the routine. Realising the importance of physical well-being, especially during the pandemic, he goes cycling and running.