Krista Sweigart is a seasoned global executive and public company board member with broad leadership experience in strategy, operations, financial structuring, and mergers and acquisitions. She is a recognized problem solver with significant on the ground expertise in challenging business environments including China, Vietnam, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Cameroon. An accomplished team builder with a growth mindset, she is skilled at guiding diverse cross-border organizations to overcome obstacles and achieve superior results.
Currently, Ms. Sweigart is Vice President and Chief Counsel, Commercial Transactions and Global Businesses, at AES Corporation (NYSE: AES, a Fortune 250 global energy company with 2017 revenues of US$11 billion). She serves on the Board of Directors of AES Tiete S.A. (BVMF: TIET11, a Brazilian public renewable energy company with 2017 revenues of US$600 million).
As a senior leader at AES, Ms. Sweigart is a trusted adviser to the Board of Directors and executive leadership team, and leads a global team of legal professionals to help achieve AES’ strategic objectives. She brings a unique perspective to complex challenges including risk, disruption, and conflict management, which she developed through her extensive multinational experience supporting operations and driving growth in over 50 countries. She is an expert in matters relating to international operations, project development, project finance, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, data privacy, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Ms. Sweigart helped transform AES’ footprint in Africa, Asia and South America through complex transactions to enter new countries and new business lines, timely country exits, and 4x value accretive transactions, including relocating to Vietnam to complete development and the financing of the US$2.1 billion Mong Duong II electric generation plant. The Project was named 2011 Asia-Pacific Power Deal of the Year by both Project Finance Magazine and Project Finance International, and AES recognized her efforts with the AES Founders Award for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ms. Sweigart began her career at K&L Gates, an international law firm, and has also held positions at PPL Corporation, Marriott Corporation, and the Nature Conservancy. She earned her J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and graduated magna cum laude from University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction.