We are excited to welcome Matthew Saunders to the team as our new president. We asked him a few questions about his role and what he hopes to accomplish at Kinect Solar. For more information, please refer to the official press release (linked below).
Matthew Saunders
President Kinect Solar
What brings you to Kinect Solar?
I’m here first and foremost because of Lauren Carson. I’ve known her for many years and have always been impressed by her vision, charisma, and drive. She’s a remarkable leader, and what she’s built with Kinect Solar over the past eight years is equally remarkable. Today, people all over the industry know Kinect Solar by name and recognize it as a brand they can trust. That’s a great position to be starting from as we look to unlock new areas of potential together.
During one of our many conversations, Lauren asked me, “What do you want your legacy to be?” I’ve spent most of my career working for large, multinational companies, with all the challenges and rewards that come with that. After 20 years, I was ready for a change. I’ve thought about someday joining a small but promising company, where I could be involved with virtually every aspect of the business and build things from the ground up. As a serial entrepreneur, Lauren sensed that and offered me this role. It was a very personal decision, and I’m looking forward to working with the Kinect Solar team to grow this business together.
I also believe now is the perfect time to join Kinect Solar because of what’s happening in the US solar industry. We’re going through a solar manufacturing revolution here in the US, with many gigawatts (GW) of domestic manufacturing capacity coming online in the next decade. Having come from that side of the industry, I know how difficult it is for manufacturers to get their product to the market quickly and effectively. I am excited to work with the team at Kinect Solar to find better solutions to those problems.
What’s your first priority as President?
Kinect Solar’s unique logistics service stack solves a lot of supply chain problems for our partners, but there’s so much more we will accomplish. One of my first priorities will be to map out how we’re going to add value for our partners throughout the supply chain. I believe there is a lot of room for disruption and Kinect Solar has just the right combination of core capabilities and expertise to make that happen.
Why solar? What draws you to this industry?
I have been in the solar industry for more than 20 years and absolutely love it.
At university I studied general engineering and am fascinated by the evolution of the solar industry over the past two decades. I remember when the industry shifted to a six-inch cell and 200-watt modules hit the market – that was a big deal. Modules, inverters, and energy storage systems have come a long way since then. It’s been fun to witness that evolution, and I’m looking forward to what we’ll see in the next decade.
Solar energy is currently the most abundant energy resource on Earth. All we have to do is harness it. The solar industry is making that a reality. It’s simple on the surface, but profound when you think about the long-term impact the industry will have on the planet as we reduce our dependence on resource-intensive fossil fuels. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to do anything else. This is what the world needs right now.
For more information, refer to the official press release.