Bhaskar Panigrahi has been the Chairman and CEO of ConnectM Technology Solutions Inc. since November 2015. With over 25 years of experience, Mr. Panigrahi is an entrepreneur and investor, known for launching and scaling companies in clean energy and technology sectors. He co-founded and led Cambridge Energy Holdings from 2008 to 2016, where he spearheaded multiple clean energy ventures. As co-founder, chairman and CEO of Cambridge Technology Enterprises from 2004 to 2010, he successfully took the company public on Indian stock exchanges. He also co-founded and led several other companies including CellExchange and Unique Computing Solutions, driving significant growth.
Mr. Panigrahi is an investor and board member of multiple ventures, including CCI Energy/Fairhaven Wind, Sure Ventures, BluStream Corp, and Blue Cloud Ventures. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, India.
Bala Padmakumar serves as Vice Chairman of our board of directors, supporting corporate development, investor relations, and strategic product development. He is also a partner at Advantary Capital Partners, focusing on business development and strategic advisory, and the independent chair of Four Leaf Acquisition Corporation. Previously, Mr. Padmakumar was an Entrepreneur in Residence at SK Telecom Innopartners, advising on deal flow and providing operational support to portfolio companies. As a Venture Partner at X/Seed Capital Management, he focused on cleantech and materials sector transactions. Mr. Padmakumar began his career at Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, holding various positions in technology development and operations. He holds an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University.
Kathy Cuocolo serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee. She also holds the same position at Monterey Capital Acquisition Corporation and Greenbacker Renewable Energy LLC. With over twenty-five years of board experience, she has previously chaired the boards and audit committees of various organizations, including Select Sectors ETF Trust and Citigroup Alternative Investment Trust.
From 2014 to 2020, she was President of Syntax Advisors, LLC, overseeing business operations and the development of financial management products. Ms. Cuocolo began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, later joining State Street Corporation, where she became Executive Vice President. She also served as Managing Director at BNY Mellon, Head of Global ETF Services.
Ms. Cuocolo is actively involved in several committees and advisory boards, including the National Association of Corporate Directors and Emerson Hospital. She holds a B.A. in Accounting from Boston College and a CPA in Massachusetts.
Stephen Markscheid serves as the Chair of the compensation committtee. He serves as a managing partner of Aerion Capital, a family office, and is an independent non-executive director for six publicly listed companies including: Jinko Solar Inc., Kingwisoft Technology Services Ltd., Monterey Capital Acquisition Corporation, Four Leaf Acquisition Corporation, Tristar Acquisition Corporation, and Richtech Robotics. Mr. Markscheid is also a trustee emeritus of Princeton-in-Asia.
Previously, Mr. Markscheid worked throughout Asia for GE Capital, leading business development activities, and with the Boston Consulting Group. He was a banker for ten years in London, Chicago, New York, Hong Kong and Beijing with Chase Manhattan Bank and First National Bank of Chicago. He holds a BA in East Asian Studies from Princeton University, an MA in international affairs from Johns Hopkins University, and an MBA from Columbia University.
Gautam Barua serves as the Chair of the Nominating Committee. He leads Aclaria Partners, a startup focused on decarbonizing real estate and addressing a critical market need, as the built environment significantly drives global greenhouse gas emissions. Starting his work in the 1990s, Mr. Barua contributed to a global warming model that earned his adviser a Nobel Prize in Economics. He has since led $80M in profitable clean energy and water investments, advised major corporations on sustainability, and founded a successful clean energy company. His career includes roles at McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, in Silicon Valley, and as a California Deputy State Controller. Mr. Barua holds a BA in Economics and Mathematics from Yale and an MBA from Harvard, where he also completed executive education in entrepreneurship.
