The Global Solar Council (GSC), an international trade association, has welcomed Sonia Dunlop as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding ad interim CEO Gianni Chianetta. Dunlop, with a distinguished career spanning nearly 15 years in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, renewables policy, and climate change finance, brings her expertise to lead the GSC.
Dunlop's background includes significant contributions to the solar industry, including her five-year tenure in the European Parliament, where she focused on European renewables policy. She has held positions at SolarPower Europe, Solar Energy UK, and, most recently, the renowned think tank Third Generation Environmentalism (E3G).
During her time at E3G, Dunlop was an integral part of the management team, with a particular focus on climate change policy. She played a pivotal role in shaping the agenda concerning public banks, Multilateral Development Banks, and international financial architecture reform.
In her previous roles at SolarPower Europe and Solar Energy UK, Dunlop spearheaded various campaigns and initiatives. These included the Solar Independence Campaign, the Digitalisation & Solar initiative, and the expansion of the RE-Source Platform, among others.
Dunlop's mission as CEO will center on establishing a robust global policy framework for solar energy, fostering increased solar deployment on a global scale, and elevating the GSC's stature as a leading voice in the solar sector.
Sonia Dunlop, the newly appointed CEO of GSC, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I am delighted to be joining the Global Solar Council as its CEO. We are in a pivotal moment for the global solar industry, and I am eager to help drive its growth, champion the technology, and unite the industry. The work we do at the GSC is essential, especially so given how critical COP28 Dubai will be for the energy transition. We need the global solar sector to speak with one voice and ensure that countries commit to ambition and action to urgently scale-up solar deployment, on roofs and beyond, in every corner of the world.” Dunlop's leadership marks a significant step in advancing the global solar industry's growth and influence in the transition to sustainable energy solutions.
