Matt Wainwright was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2021.

Prior to leading all things financial at Pele Energy Group, Matt spent twelve years in the energy sector with previous roles at Deloitte and Standard Microgrid. Matt’s primary charges at Pele Energy Group are to guide funding activities and to oversee various key finance functions, including supporting investment processes and nurturing key stakeholder affiliations such as banks and co-sponsors.

Matt’s current responsibilities include the stewardship of Pele Energy Group’s balance sheet, organising of funding at a group level and consistent collaboration with each business unit to ensure that investments are aligned to the overall risk-return objectives. As a vital member of the board and EXCO, Matt interfaces with leadership to set the group strategy and provide support to the management teams in their execution of the strategy. He is also currently supporting the Project Review & Investment Committee processes and serves as Chairman of the Remuneration Committee.

Matt’s contribution includes formalising Pele Energy Group’s strategic planning process and spear headed the delivery of their platform funding facility – Sithala. Matt also serves on the Pele Energy Group, Pele Green Energy and Knowledge Pele boards internally and also sits on a number of external boards namely, Nojoli, Copperton, Redstone, Karusa, Soetwater, Nxuba, Garob and Oyster Bay.

Matt is a stoic seeking to live an examined life, whereby in every moment one strives to bring their best self to bear. Matt is passionately dedicated to a lifelong journey of learning and curiosity and sees Pele Energy Group as a vehicle to bring a collective energy together in yielding a more sustainable future.

Matt is a Chartered Accountant (South Africa) and holds a Bachelor of Business Science (Honours in Finance and Strategy) from the University of Cape Town. He also has his Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Cape Town and is proudly affiliated South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). Matt has also been the recipient of a numerous awards in his career including the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation; Accenture Innovation Award; Chivas The Venture and the FirstRand Foundation Innovation for Impact Award.