Former Eskom chief executive officer Andre de Ruyter has resurfaced in the international energy space, taking on a consulting role for renewable energy companies and serving on the board of Verra, a leading global climate standards organisation.
De Ruyter’s new position comes after a period of relative silence following his controversial resignation from Eskom in December 2022, during which he made serious allegations about corruption at the utility and within government.
During a brief Q&A session at the recent investment conference, De Ruyter revealed that he has spent the last two years teaching, researching, and consulting, including academic roles at Yale University and Oxford.
“I’m doing some consulting for renewable energy companies,” he said, adding that his recent work spans both education and energy advisory roles.
A Strategic Shift Toward Climate Solutions
De Ruyter’s latest appointment is to the board of Verra, an international non-profit that manages some of the world’s most widely used environmental standards, including the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).
The organisation supports climate action and sustainable development through the issuance of carbon credits and environmental certifications.
During his time at Eskom, De Ruyter was a vocal proponent of renewables and spearheaded the utility’s Just Energy Transition (JET) strategy – a plan to reduce dependence on coal and repurpose old power stations for clean energy.
A Break From South Africa’s Energy Politics
Following his resignation, De Ruyter spent time as a senior fellow at Yale, mentoring students and teaching international policy.
He also travelled across the United States with his family before returning to academic work in the United Kingdom.
While Eskom has since shifted focus back to stabilising the grid – relying heavily on coal, diesel, and load-shedding mitigation – De Ruyter’s departure marked a turning point in the debate over how best to reform South Africa’s troubled power sector.
Now, with his work on Verra’s board and in global academic circles, De Ruyter remains active in shaping renewable energy and climate policies – just no longer within South Africa.
