Solarvest appoints two C-suite executives to drive next phase of clean energy growth. By Digital News Asia November 4, 2026 * Both appointments strengthen Solarvest's leadership team * Support the group's expansion into energy storage, grid modernisation & intelligent energy solutions Solarvest Holdings Bhd has appointed Joseph Wong Aik Peoy as CEO, engineering & operations, and James Lee Chung Min as chief energy transition officer, strengthening its leadership team as the group expands beyond clean energy generation into energy storage, grid modernisation and intelligent energy solutions. The appointments come as the renewable energy industry enters a more complex phase, with rising demand for reliable and flexible power, greater renewable energy penetration and an increasing need for grid modernisation technologies. The appointments are intended to strengthen Solarvest's management team as it supports a growing project pipeline and an increasingly diversified product portfolio. Wong brings nearly two decades of experience across renewable energy, oil and gas, and major infrastructure projects. He has held leadership roles within a globally recognised integrated energy group, where he led renewable energy projects globally, as well as at a leading international engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company in the energy industry. His background combines the investment discipline and operational standards of a major energy owner with hands-on experience in engineering and large-scale project execution. In his new role, Wong will lead Solarvest's engineering and operations functions, focusing on strengthening the group's execution capabilities as it undertakes larger and more complex projects. Guided by an integrated Time-Cost-Quality principle, his priorities will include improving operational efficiency, ensuring timely and cost-effective project delivery, and establishing a scalable, AI-powered operating framework to enhance project quality and long-term competitiveness. This includes introducing practical automation to improve reporting efficiency, project monitoring and early risk identification, supporting greater accountability, more predictable project outcomes and stronger operational performance. These initiatives will be underpinned by rigorous safety standards, clear accountability and disciplined project controls as the group scales its portfolio. "Success means consistently delivering projects safely, on time, within budget and to the agreed scope and quality. Our ambition is to make operational excellence a consistent competitive advantage for Solarvest. By combining our engineering expertise with AI-enabled efficiency, we aim to turn clean energy ambitions into reliable operating assets. We will earn confidence through the commitments we honour, the projects we deliver and the lasting value we create," Wong, said. Lee brings 16 years of experience in Malaysia's renewable energy industry, with an established track record in technology innovation, industry advocacy and regulatory engagement. He has contributed to the development of national technical standards, including amendments to Malaysian Standard MS 1837:2018 to accommodate advanced inverter technologies, as well as industry consultations on key renewable energy frameworks such as the Net Energy Metering (NEM) programme, Solar Accelerated Transition Action Programme (Solar ATAP) and Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS). His technical contributions include advancing the adoption of string inverter technology for utility-scale solar projects, including a pioneering solar development in Sabah. Beyond technical innovation, Lee also serves as deputy president III of the Malaysian Photovoltaic and Sustainable Energy Industry Association (MPSEA), contributing to industry collaboration, policy advocacy and Malaysia's renewable energy agenda. In his new role, Lee will lead Solarvest's energy transition strategy, focusing on technology adoption, strategic industry engagement and regional market development. A key priority will be developing an integrated energy platform that brings together emerging technologies and innovative solutions to support the energy transition. Building on Solarvest's established capabilities in Malaysia, he will focus on strengthening the group's position in targeted international markets while deepening collaboration with governments, regulators and industry stakeholders. "Technology will remain central to accelerating the energy transition. My priority is to advance Solarvest's innovation and enhance our ability to deliver integrated energy solutions to address the increasingly complex needs of the power sector. Malaysia has made significant progress in renewable energy development, and we will continue to pioneer technological innovations through an integrated energy platform to support the advancement of the wider energy ecosystem across the region," Lee said. Davis Chong Chun Shiong, executive director and group chief executive officer of Solarvest, said the appointments reflect the group's focus on combining execution capabilities with technological innovation to support its next phase of growth. "The next phase of the energy transition will be defined not only by how much renewable energy we generate, but also by how effectively we integrate, manage and deliver that energy. As renewable penetration increases, grid modernisation will become equally critical, creating new opportunities for energy storage, intelligent energy management and integrated clean energy solutions. "Wong's extensive experience in engineering and major project delivery will strengthen our operational performance, while Lee brings deep technical expertise and strong industry engagement that will be instrumental in advancing our energy transition capabilities. Together, they bring complementary strengths that will support our ambition to move beyond clean energy generation and contribute to grid modernisation," he concluded. For more technology news and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn

Google funds US$160m shared reservoir and water plant in Malaysia's Negeri Sembilan. Google will pay US$160 million for a reservoir and a water treatment plant in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan that will supply both its planned data centre campus in Port Dickson and the state's public network, with the assets passing into state ownership, the company announced on 2 November. | US$160m Google funding (about RM651m at Bank Negara Malaysia's 12:00 middle rate of RM4.0665, 2 Nov 2026) | 65 MLD Treatment capacity (65,000 m^3/day, or about 23.7 million m[3]/year at full output) | 560 MLD Average water consumption in Negeri Sembilan, 2024 (DOSM, provisional) | Google has appointed the Malaysian engineering group Gamuda Berhad to build an off-river storage reservoir along the Linggi River and the treatment plant, in coordination with the state government and the state water utility, Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan (SAINS). Once complete, both facilities will belong to Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan (Incorporated), or MBINS, a state statutory body. An off-river reservoir sits beside the watercourse rather than damming it and is filled with surplus river flow and rainfall, which Google expects to reduce flood risk in flood-prone areas. In lower-yield periods, when river flow drops, the plant draws on those reserves to keep supply steady without disrupting the river's natural flow. Google-funded plant matches the capacity of a 2025 Gamuda-state water scheme. Besides feeding the state's public network, the plant will supply Google's planned campus in Springhill Industrial Park, Port Dickson. A plant of the same capacity, to be built by Gamuda and owned by MBINS, was the subject of a memorandum of understanding the two signed in January 2025, when Gamuda broke ground on a 389-acre data centre hub in Port Dickson for which it named no operator. Under that memorandum, Gamuda said that 25% of the capacity would go to domestic users in Negeri Sembilan and the remainder to data centre operations, while the plant and its land would stay with MBINS. That allocation has not been confirmed for the plant Google is now funding. The new plant's output compares with average water consumption across Negeri Sembilan of 560 MLD in 2024, according to provisional figures from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), and households accounted for 323 MLD of that total. Google links the Negeri Sembilan funding to its 120% replenishment goal. Drew Byrnes, Google's head of global infrastructure and energy for Asia Pacific, linked the funding to the company's ambition to replenish 120% of the freshwater it consumes, a 2030 goal averaged across its offices and data centres. Google is funding the works although "our water risk assessment showed that local water sources were not at high risk of scarcity or depletion", he said. For SAINS, the plant's capacity "will strengthen the local supply system for residents and commercial users alike", said its chief executive, Mohd Yazid Ahmad. Gamuda Engineering's managing director, Justin Chin, said the group would develop the water works and the Port Dickson campus simultaneously, drawing on its work on Google's soon-to-open campus in Elmina Business Park. Google will also pay for 100% of the electricity the campus uses and for the direct costs of connecting it to the grid. Separately, it holds power purchase agreements with consortiums led by Shizen Energy-Solarvest and TotalEnergies to add new clean generation to Malaysia's National Grid, including a 29.99 MWac solar farm in Gurun, Kedah, that Solarvest is developing with Shizen Energy and HSS Engineering.