CEO, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind

Biography

Philippe Kavafyan started his career in 1990 with EDF International before joining General Electric in 1993 where he spent 15 years. In GE Medical Systems he initially held positions as Manufacturing Leader and Technology Program Manager before moving to sales in 1997 as Account Manager for Turbine Controls in the Oil & Gas business, based in Italy. He joined GE’s Energy Services headquarters in Atlanta (USA) in 2001, before he moved to Germany in 2002 to lead the integration of the newly acquired wind business. He remained in GE Renewables until 2008 as Commercial Director for Wind Services. Philippe then joined AREVA to promote integrated offers in the nuclear business, before leading the Key Account Management program in 2010. In 2011, he moved to AREVA Renewables, eventually becoming Director for Offshore Wind in 2015. Until its sale to Gamesa in early 2017, he acted as Chairman of the Board of Adwen Offshore. Most recently, Philippe has been Director in the Power Division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in France. Philippe was first elected President of the Offshore Wind Committee of the French Renewable Association in 2013, then President of the industrial Wind Committee in 2016. Philippe Kavafyan is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole des Mines de Paris.