 Javade
Chaudri
Executive Vice President & General Counsel,
Sempra Energy
Javade Chaudhri is executive vice president,
general counsel and chief environmental officer for Sempra
Energy, a Fortune 250 energy-services company whose subsidiaries
provide electricity, natural gas and value-added products
and services around the world. Sempra Energy’s 14,000
employees serve 30 million customers in the United States,
Mexico, South America and elsewhere. Sempra owns two major
utility companies in California – Southern California
Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric Company –
as well as other businesses around the world.
Since joining Sempra Energy in 2003, Chaudhri has been responsible
for all legal, corporate secretarial and compliance matters
and a law department of about 80 lawyers. He is a member
of the company’s executive Management Committee. He
was previously also responsible for overseeing public policy,
external, governmental and regulatory affairs.
Prior to joining Sempra Energy, he served as the general
counsel of Gateway Inc. (2001 to 2003) and as deputy general
counsel, starting in 1999. He also supervised governmental
and regulatory affairs and served as the chief ethics officer.
Previously Chaudhri was a senior partner in the Washington,
D.C., office of the law firm of Winston & Strawn, where
he co-managed the international and technology practice
groups. Prior to that, until 1993, Chaudhri was a partner
at the international law firm of Jones Day, based in Washington,
D.C.
Over his career, Chaudhri has assisted major corporations
and public-sector entities to structure and negotiate a
broad range of business transactions and to implement projects
and contracts in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. He has
advised boards of directors on corporate governance issues
as well as regulatory issues and enforcement matters. In
addition, he has managed or participated in major litigation,
mediation and international arbitration matters.
Chaudhri is active in numerous civic, charitable, educational
and professional organizations in California and other parts
of the world. He has a long-standing commitment to charitable
and pro bono activities focusing on education, equal justice,
and the environment. He currently serves on the board of
the University of California’s School of International
Relations and Pacific Studies and also on the board of the
San Diego Zoo Foundation. He is also active in a number
of organizations that promote diversity in professional,
civic and educational activities in the United States and
elsewhere.
He has written and lectured widely on international infrastructure
projects, technology, regulatory and corporate governance.
He is a strong believer that orderly economic development
can take place in developing countries and emerging democracies
with the help of international companies, consistent with
national, social and environmental values. He has been a
visiting faculty member for the International Development
Law Organization in Rome and the international Law Institute
in Washington, D.C. and also has been a frequent speaker
at numerous conferences and a contributor to various business
and legal publications.
Chaudhri was born and grew up in Nairobi, Kenya and received
his early education at Strathmore College in Nairobi. He
holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, a
master’s degree from the Yale School of Forestry &
Environmental Studies, and a juris doctor degree from Georgetown
University Law Center.
|
