André de Ruyter

André de Ruyter is a global energy executive and senior advisor with more than 30 years of international business experience across the public and private sectors.

Until recently, he was a Visiting Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs, School of Management, and School of the Environment, where he lectured on the just energy transition and climate finance. Over the course of his career, André has held senior leadership roles in South Africa, China, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States, and has developed and managed energy projects across numerous African countries.

He served as Group Chief Executive of Eskom, the largest electricity utility in Africa, where he led the development of a corporate strategy to accelerate the decarbonization of the continent’s largest emitter through a Just Energy Transition (JET). He also established Eskom’s first JET office to oversee the repurposing and repowering of decommissioned coal-fired power stations.

André is the author of the best-selling book Truth to Power, which was recognized by The Guardian as one of the top five global books by whistleblowers. In 2023, he was named one of the 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine. His current work focuses on climate finance and carbon market reform, with a particular emphasis on enabling greater access to green finance in the global south.