Heather McLay

About Heather McLay

Director-level energy and infrastructure execution leader with two decades of experience delivering complex, capital-intensive assets in regulated, high-risk environments.I lead $100M–$300M utility-scale energy and infrastructure programs, specializing in late-stage and acquired assets where inherited contracts, schedule risk, and stakeholder complexity require sound judgment and steady execution. My background spans renewable energy (AES, SoftBank), transportation (Amtrak), telecom and technology platforms (Comcast), and real estate development (Savills, federal facilities).I’m known for operating calmly at the intersection of engineering, contracts, finance, and executive decision-making—directing EPCs, resolving commercial risk, and moving critical projects forward when conditions are imperfect.Strengths• Owner-side execution of utility-scale solar and infrastructure assets• EPC strategy, contract negotiation, and risk containment• Cross-functional leadership across engineering, legal, procurement, and interconnection• Delivery of high-visibility programs under regulatory and stakeholder pressureI’m interested in roles where experienced leadership, technical fluency, and execution discipline matter—particularly in clean energy, grid-scale infrastructure, and data-adjacent platforms.

Experience

1. Senior Execution Lead, Utility Scale Solar

   The AES Corporation

   Jan 2024 — Present

   Assigned to stabilize and deliver late-stage, acquired utility-scale solar assets with inherited contracts, schedule risk, and regulatory constraints.Lead owner-side execution of $100M–$300M utility-scale projects, including a $315M Amazon-offtake asset and a $125M Dominion-acquired project, directing EPC strategy, commercial risk, and cross-functional delivery through construction and commissioning.Key focus areasFull execution ownership of complex, late-stage assets; directing PV and HV EPCs, engineering, permitting, procurement, and interconnectionMid-stream EPC restructuring and pre-construction re-contracting without claims or schedule derailmentSenior escalation authority across EPCs, legal, contracts, and grid stakeholders (Dominion / PJM)Oversight of long-lead procurement, regulatory interfaces, and asset readiness, including future BESS integrationSupport of portfolio-level M&A diligence, technical risk reviews, and post-acquisition value realization.

Education

• University of Pennsylvania

  M.Arch, ARCHITECTURE

• University of Pennsylvania

  B.A., ARCHITECTURE

Skills

• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Telecommunications
• Program Management
• Negotiation
• Process Scheduler
• Rfid
• Wireless Technologies
• Team Leadership
• Large Scale Deployments
• Budgets
• Architecture
• Contract Negotiation
• Start-Ups
• Gps Integration
• Ms Project
• Leed
• Product Management
• Vendor Management
• Project Planning
• Business Development
• Strategy
• Process Improvement
• Strategic Planning
• Fleet Operations
• Project Management
• Microsoft Office
• Cad
• Strategic Partnerships
• Account Management
• Integration
• Customer Satisfaction
• Project Estimation
• Gps Navigation
• Contractors
• Construction Management
• Gps Applications
• Team Building
• Management
• Leadership
• Mobile Devices