Accelerating the energy transition

‘Renewable energy is critical for the Philippines – not only because of our vulnerability to climate change, but also because of the opportunity it presents for long-term energy security and economic resilience. As a country heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, the shift to renewables helps stabilise energy costs and reduce carbon emissions, and harness our abundant natural resources like solar, wind and geothermal.’

Continuously adapting

Originally from Pakistan, Pervez moved to Manila during his two-decade-long employment with American oil and gas multinational, Chevron. Progressive promotions had involved previous postings to Jakarta, California and London, but he now calls the Philippines home.

Leading ACEN Shared Services, a fully owned subsidiary of ACEN Corporation, since August 2023, Pervez is tasked with providing finance, HR, procurement, IT and commercial operations support to various business units in the Philippines and in ACEN’s international operations.

‘Running a shared service centre which must continuously adapt to the growing business and regulatory changes is exciting and extremely challenging,’ he says, describing ACEN as ‘a fast-growing company with tremendous talent and a dynamic, collaborative culture’.

‘In my role I see firsthand how strong operational foundations and strategic support functions are essential to scaling our renewable energy ambitions. From finance and digital systems to human resources and procurement, our team plays a crucial role in enabling the business to grow rapidly and sustainably across the Philippines and in key markets in Asia Pacific.’

It’s exciting to be part of a company that’s not only accelerating the energy transition locally, he adds, but also shaping what a clean energy future can look like on a regional and global scale.

Career shift

Growing up, Pervez recalls that both he and his brother were expected to follow in the footsteps of their doctor parents, who ran a small hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Neither sibling did. ‘I was actually enrolled in medical school, but my heart wasn’t in it,’ he says. ‘ACCA sounded like a great opportunity, so I studied that instead.’

Pervez had clearly found his calling, securing top position in Pakistan and joining the top twenty worldwide in two ACCA exams he took.

As he worked in multiple countries, learning diverse cultures and perspectives, the qualification has served him well.

‘Opportunities kept arising and I took chances even when I thought I might not be able to perform the role well. Taking some risks along the way helped,’ he says.

‘While fortune and dedication played a part, a huge contributor has been the ACCA qualification, which allowed me to apply my education to real life business scenarios.’

Across its range of subjects and CPD courses, ACCA provides ‘a solid foundation, and a broad horizon’, he adds. ‘Recently, I completed the ACCA/CFA Climate Finance course, gaining insights and learnings which I can apply in my current role.’

Leading the way

Pervez has a particular interest in leadership and digital transformation – topics he believes to be ‘interesting and evolving with a sizeable impact on business’.

‘I believe as a leader you are constantly learning, and your actions directly impact the culture and success of any organisation,’ he says. ‘As I have come to appreciate more with age and experience, how we deal with people, all stakeholders in a 360 sphere, is key.

‘There is no one size that fits all leaders or situations; it’s ever changing. At the same time, the common thread is around respect for people we deal with.’

He also acknowledges the myriad benefits of digitisation. ‘At ACEN, digital transformation is a key pillar,’ he says. ‘In shared services, we’re harnessing technology to streamline operations, enable data-driven decisions, deliver accurate and reliable reporting, and improve the work-life balance of our team. Our digital initiatives help ACEN scale faster while maintaining agility and control.’

Challenging environment

The transition to renewables in the Philippines comes with its share of challenges – among them regulatory uncertainty, grid limitations, and the need for faster permitting and infrastructure development. But perhaps one of the biggest hurdles is ensuring that renewable energy can be delivered at scale – reliably and efficiently.

‘At ACEN, we’re addressing these challenges head-on,’ Pervez says. ‘One example is our investment in integrated renewables and energy storage systems, which pairs solar and wind farms with battery storage to provide stable, dispatchable power. This is a game-changer in improving grid reliability and helping the country integrate more renewables into the energy mix.

Another important initiative is ACEN’s Just Energy Transition strategy, which includes the early retirement of the South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation coal plant and its replacement with clean energy. ‘It’s a pioneering move in South-East Asia, supported by international partners and aligned with global efforts to phase out coal responsibly,’ Pervez says.

‘In shared services, we ensure that these ambitious projects are backed by strong systems, agile teams and future-ready capabilities. Whether it’s through digital transformation, talent development or streamlined operations, our role is to provide the foundation that enables ACEN to move faster and smarter in the energy transition journey.’

Those goals align with Pervez’s own vision, which is to be ‘respected as a thoughtful leader in the sustainable energy space, driving large-scale impact to the environment and communities where we operate’, he says.

‘My role at ACEN allows me to drive structure, manage change effectively, build a pipeline of talent and contribute to the growing clean energy demand.’