Foreign firms dominated last month's hires

From the newsletter

Senior staff hiring in May registered over 46 new roles filled across 10 renewable energy firms. Renewables Rising's analysis of LinkedIn data shows that foreign firms such as Scatec, JA Solar and AMEA Power dominated the hiring, accounting for 76% of the total. Local companies like Mulilo Energy made significant moves, adding 9 staff in the same period.

• Companies are competing fiercely to hire the best talent in the market. Over the last month, we tracked more than 200 vacancies for senior energy professionals across the continent.

• Since January, the sector has received over $15 billion in project funding across the different clean technologies. As these projects move to the construction phase, more hires are expected to support their development.

More details

• Scatec’s 23 senior staff hiring, more than half of open roles in the last month, aligns with the company's stake in African renewables. The company is scaling up rapidly with new projects in South Africa and Egypt. Its senior workforce now stands at 469, the largest among the companies tracked.

• AMEA Power is third, just after Mulilo Energy, in onboarding senior staff. It added 8 new staff members in the last month. The company’s aggressive pursuit of utility-scale solar and wind projects in Africa, with recent wins in Egypt and West Africa, has enabled it to attract top talent.

• In fourth and fifth place are JA Solar and ACWA Power, respectively. JA Solar hired 7 senior staff, with three in sales, and ACWA Power hired 4 new staff in the same period.

• These international giants enjoy strong financial backing, long-term sector expertise, and the ability to mobilise resources quickly. These firms can absorb risk, secure competitive financing, and attract experienced professionals, key advantages in Africa’s fast-evolving renewables sector.

• Among local players, Mulilo Energy stands out, increasing its staff by 9. The company’s portfolio includes several utility-scale solar and wind projects in South Africa. It has 420 MW of operational renewable energy projects with an additional 667 MW under construction.

• CrossBoundary Group’s hiring slowed in the last month, but the company remains a key player in distributed solar for commercial clients. The company plans expansion into West Africa, where it aims to deploy innovative financing models and off-grid solutions.

• Other companies that registered no growth in senior hires include Globeleq and Distributed Power Africa, which saw negative or flat hiring, likely due to a strategic pause. This highlights the competitive pressures and capital intensity of the sector.

• Sales staff hiring declined for the second consecutive month, suggesting a shift in focus from business development to project delivery, as firms prioritise execution over pipeline building in the current investment climate.

Our take

• Africa’s renewable energy revolution won’t be won by outsiders alone rather by those who combine global expertise with bold local innovation. The companies that master this hybrid approach will own the continent’s clean energy future.

• Hiring trends reveal strategy drives success. Firms laser-focused on aggressive expansion, like Scatec, are gobbling up top talent, while those stuck in business development mode are standing still. In this race, bold moves beat cautious steps every time.

• Local players can no longer afford to play catch-up. To lead, they must sharpen technical skills, forge powerful regional alliances, and attract patient, long-term capital. Only then will they break into the big leagues of Africa’s complex, high-stakes renewable projects.