Gordon van Welie is an experienced CEO and nationally recognized leader in electric power systems,
wholesale markets, and energy transition. As President and CEO of ISO New England for nearly 25 years, he led
one of the most complex regional electric power systems and wholesale market operators in the US. Under his
stewardship, the organization evolved from a fragile start-up into a trusted institution overseeing markets that
clear up to $18B annually and serve approximately 15 million residents.
Gordon is a recognized authority in grid reliability, market design, energy infrastructure, and the critical
governance realities of operating energy systems at scale. His work has helped attract private capital
investment, reduce consumer costs, and strengthen reliability while navigating emerging cyber and physical
threats. Earlier in his career, he led Siemens’ Power Systems Control division through a complex turnaround,
stabilizing products and renegotiating major utility contracts to restore profitability. He began his career at
South Africa’s national utility, Eskom, rising to Chief Engineer and leading large-scale energy management and
automation system design.
Gordon has testified publicly and engaged extensively with regulatory commissions, state governments, and
the US Congress, and he is frequently sought by regulators, universities, and research organizations to help
shape the future of the electric system. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, he holds an MBA
and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.