Breaking Into Energy Finance: From Classroom to Boardroom, with Talisman Advisory Partners
Thursday, November 6, 6 – 7 p.m.
Join leaders from across the capital stack for an engaging discussion on careers in energy, infrastructure, and finance! Hosted by Tom Perkin of Talisman Advisory Partners, this panel will explore career paths at the intersection of energy, finance, and business. Guest speakers include notable Duke alums.
📌 PLUS! If you want to network with panel speakers and attendees, RSVP separately for the Breaking Into Energy: Networking Reception to follow from 7:15-9 p.m. at the JB Duke Hotel Marketplace Bar.
Location: McClendon Classroom, Fuqua School of Business (100 Fuqua Drive, Durham, NC 27708)
At this panel you will…
Talisman Advisory Partners are a vertically integrated executive search firm and recruitment consultancy – serving clients in energy & infrastructure across the full energy value chain. They work with venture/equity/credit funds, banks, developers, IPPs, consultancies, utilities, law firms and advisors – to find them the impactful talent they need to propel their businesses forward – from seed to IPO and beyond.
Featured Speakers:
Jose Pumarejo, also known as Puma, currently serves as the Director of Project Valuation at NextEra Energy, Inc. since July 2023. With extensive experience in structured finance, capital markets, and M&A, Jose has held various significant roles, including Finance Manager and Principal Corporate Finance at the same company. Prior to this, Jose worked as a Teaching Assistant at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business while serving as a Business Development Associate at Apex Clean Energy. A Policy Analyst at The World Bank, Jose conducted regulatory research on global power acquisition ease. Jose’s background also includes experience at Creel, GarcÃa-Cuéllar, Aiza y EnrÃquez, S.C., and founding a youth soccer academy focused on women’s empowerment.
Jenna Weiner (MEM/MBA ’19) is a seasoned finance professional with extensive experience in valuation, investments, and mergers and acquisitions. Currently serving as Senior Director at AES Corporation since December 2019, Jenna has advanced through various roles in the company, including Mergers and Acquisitions Director and Senior Associate. Prior to this position, Jenna worked as an Investment Banking Associate at Cassel Salpeter and Co., and held internships at NextEra Energy Resources focusing on project valuation and business management. Jenna is also the founder and CEO of two equestrian businesses, Tryon Equestrian Villas and Bridlewood Farm, demonstrating a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Academic credentials include an MBA with a concentration in Accounting and a Certificate of Excellence in Finance from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, complemented by a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Emory University.
Austin Scheffy is the Chief Investment Officer at Headwater Energy and oversees all project finance related matters at the company. Austin was previously at Heelstone Renewable Energy, a North Carolina based developer and IPP, where he was most recently the Chief Investment Officer leading the company’s project finance, project M&A, and offtake origination efforts. During that time, he oversaw the project finance and M&A efforts for over 65 projects and successfully raising over $1 billion dollars of debt and tax equity. Prior to Heelstone, Austin was a Vice President at Stonehenge Capital, where we helped source, underwrite, and execute on their renewable energy investments. Austin received his BS in Economics with Financial Applications from Southern Methodist University and his MBA with a concentration in finance from the Freeman School at Tulane University. Austin is currently on the Advisory Council for the Tulane Energy Institute.
Yousif Alqatari is an Investment Banking Senior Associate in Goldman Sachs‘ Global Natural Resources group in New York. He advises clients spanning the power and utilities, renewables, chemicals, metals and mining, and infrastructure sectors. He has executed transactions across M&A, LBOs, debt and equity financing, project finance, IPOs, and activism defense. Previously, Yousif worked in various engineering capacities in the oil and gas sector, specializing in unconventional reservoirs. He is also a startup founder with venture capital experience focused on fintech. Yousif earned his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where he received the Certificate of Academic Excellence in Finance. At Duke, he served on the Duke Energy Conference Committee and held roles as a Corporate Finance teaching assistant to Professor John Graham, an Investment Banking Fellow, and an Admissions Fellow. He holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering and Economics from the University of Wyoming.
Moderator: Tom Perkin is an Associate Partner at Talisman Advisory Partners and is an award-winning search & staffing professional with a long track record of building high-performance businesses. He has been fortunate to have worked closely with some of the industry’s most talented individuals and leaders during a rewarding 18-year career. Tom has founded, scaled and sold several businesses in the energy & infrastructure sector.
He now leads Talisman Advisory Partners investment & finance, legal, and portfolio search practices in addition to running the New York operation. He is passionate about supporting the investors, operators and organizations driving the global energy infrastructure transition. Tom is as disciplined about health & well-being as he is about business outcomes; balancing hard work with staying present, healthy and having fun.
