ACEN Australia Board

Sech is the chief executive officer of the ACEN Global Development Group and member of the ACEN Executive Management Committee. He is also chief development officer of both ACEN and ACEIC, and serves as Chairman and/or President of ACEN’s development pipeline and land companies. Prior to joining ACEN, he was co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bronzeoak Philippines, a pioneer and leader in clean technology energy development in the Philippines. Bronzeoak’s energy businesses were integrated into ACEN in early 2017. Sech has a Masters in Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, USA and a BS Management Honors degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.

David Pollington has been the Managing Director of ACEN Australia since July 2023 having been the Chief Operating Officer (formerly UPC\AC Renewables Australia) since its establishment in 2016. He has been involved in the renewable energy sector for more than 30 years leading projects from inception through to operations. David has held key roles in the industry, most notably, the Technical Director of Renewables at SKM/Jacobs, and General Manager of Construction for Roaring 40s, a joint development and asset management company between Hydro Tasmania and China Light and Power based out of Hong Kong, where he was responsible for construction activities in China, India, and Australia. David holds a Bachelor of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from the University of Tasmania and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers. He is based in Hobart. 

Eric Francia is the President and CEO of ACEN Corporation and serves on its board of directors. He is also a Senior Managing Director and member of the Management Committee of Ayala Corporation. Under his leadership, Ayala established its energy platform from a standing start in 2011, to become one of the largest renewable energy platforms in the region, with ~4,800 MW of attributable renewables capacity across Asia Pacific.

Mr. Francia has also led pioneering initiatives in early coal retirement, including the successful completion of the world’s first market-based Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM).

Mr. Francia earned a Master’s Degree in Management Studies at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, graduating with First Class Honors. He received his undergraduate degree in Humanities and Political Economy from the University of Asia & the Pacific, graduating magna cum laude.

Jonathan is the chief strategy officer of ACEN. He is a lawyer and banker with over 25 years of experience in the legal, investment banking, and private investment sectors with significant experience in equity capital markets, corporate finance, and in advising on large infrastructure, power, and telecom projects. Jonathan was previously a director and the executive chairman of BPI International Finance Ltd., the Hong Kong banking subsidiary of BPI and concurrently, co-head of Wealth Management and head of international businesses of BPI. He was also a director of Schools Relief Initiative Ltd., a Hong Kong based charity supporting education in Southern Sri Lanka. Previously, Jonathan served as an executive director in Goldman Sachs, Hong Kong (Corporate Finance and Equity Capital Markets) and managing director and head of Asian Equity Capital Markets in JP Morgan, Hong Kong. Jonathan holds a bachelor of Civil Laws degree from the University of Oxford, where he graduated with first class honors. He also received first class honors in the solicitors final exam.

Patrice Clausse is the chief executive officer of ACEN International. He joined Ayala Corporation in May 2010 as an advisor to the Strategy and Business Development team and became a founding member of the ACEN management in 2011, where he led the Business Development and Operations teams. Currently, he heads ACEN’s international business, with focus on Southeast Asia and Australia. Patrice is a member of the Board of Directors/Management and Advisory Committee of various ACEN International Projects. Prior to joining Ayala, he was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company in London as well as with Marakon Associates (part of Charles River Associates). Patrice holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where he graduated with high distinction as Baker Scholar. He also received his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Manufacturing Engineering from Cambridge University in the UK.