Dr. Aznan Ezraie Ariffin, an Electrical and Electronics Engineering PhD holder from University of Manchester, is the Chief Strategy Officer at TNB Research, and the Head of the Smart City Technology Pillar in TNB. In these pivotal roles, he oversees R&D strategy, technology, commercialisation, international collaboration, and the integration of smart technology into urban development. 

Aznan completed his BEng from Imperial College, London, selected MBA programs at University of Melbourne, and served as an exchange researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. 

His comprehensive 24-year experience in Tenaga Nasional spans various departments, including planning, operations, research, and international business. Significant roles include his secondment as Vice President (Investments) at Khazanah Nasional’s Investment Division, serving as Special Officer (Technical) to the CEO of TNB, and being part of the pioneering team developing the Malaysian Grid Code with Suruhanjaya Tenaga. 

In his recent role as Head of Emerging Technologies at TNBX, a TNB subsidiary, Aznan managed the solar PPA product and SARE contract, enhancing Behind-the-Meter services. An Industry Advisory Panel for Universiti Teknologi Petronas between 2015-2020 and Herriot-Watt University of Malaysia since 2023, he has shared his expertise through public lectures, academic talks, and peer-reviewed papers at conferences like IEEE, CIGRE, CEPSI, and IEM. 

His 23-year tenure in the Energy/Electricity sector involves crucial projects like the Grid-wide Blackout Investigation, Incentive Based Regulation trial, and developing renewable energy businesses in Tenaga Nasional. Aznan’s diverse roles signify his unyielding commitment to the advancement of the energy sector.