Harsh leads a team of 35, responsible for projects across transmission and distribution clients in the Lower North Island region of New Zealand.
The EEA recognised Harsharan for his leadership within Ventia and beyond the workplace.
As a rising star in the field, Harsh was recognised for his leadership within Ventia as well as beyond the workplace. Harsh was one of the Ventia team who took a leadership role during the emergency response at Redclyffe Substation following the devasting floods in the Hawkes Bay region which was something the EEA acknowledged as part of his award.
“Not only does he demonstrate strength in engineering, he has led teams through really challenging work and also shows strong leadership within the sector,” said EEA Chief Executive Peter Berry.
A graduate of Auckland University of Technology, Harsharan began his career as a power systems engineer before becoming a project manager at Ventia in 2021. Throughout his career he has built a reputation for successfully managing the delivery of complex and large scale multi-disciplinary engineering projects.
Whilst he already has an impressive resume, Harsh is just getting started as he looks forward to playing a role in New Zealand’s clean energy future.
In New Zealand, we are seeing a transformative period with the shift towards electrification, where investment is being made in solar, hydrogen, and battery storage as solutions to meet growing demand and address our current challenges - and this is incredibly motivating for me.
Harsh continued, “The energy industry is ripe with opportunities, particularly in technological advancements in renewable generation, electric transport, hydrogen trials, and battery storage which are revolutionising how we use energy.
In his acceptance speech, Harsh mentioned the many current opportunities in the energy industry.
“Disruptive technologies such as AI, big data and digitisation amongst others, will alter the growth of our sector. The organisations that invest in technology and sustainable practices will lead the way, creating roles for individuals skilled in these emerging fields.”
As the industry and organisations seek more people to support the energy transition ambitions, Harsh is clear that it’s a great industry to be a part of.
“We need to improve the industry's profile at the school and university levels to attract new talent that will bring the diversity of skills required to sustain the growth we need in our sector,” he said.
“The energy sector is vital to our daily lives, and as technology advances, energy demand will continue to rise. Pursuing a career in this field offers globally recognised skills that will be in constant demand and can lead to rewarding growth and opportunities.
“It's a future-proof path that contributes to a sustainable world.”