Bloom Energy is welcoming two government affairs leaders to the organization. James Roth and Brian Vanderbloemen bring deep expertise in global policy and government relations, each having led federal and global policy initiatives. The two executives will promote new engagement, collaborations, and help Bloom deliver its vision for the future of energy.
James Roth
James Roth is the new Senior Vice President of Global Government Affairs and Policy. In his role, Roth is responsible for policy frameworks that move the energy transition forward. Working in tandem with Bloom’s regulatory and marketing teams, he will develop and manage legislative and regulatory policy to build new market opportunities. Roth will lead Bloom’s engagement in Washington, D.C., and in foreign capitals as the company expands its markets overseas.
“We are excited to welcome James into the Bloom family,” said KR Sridhar, Bloom Energy’s founder, Chairman and CEO. “James has successfully driven policy for corporations and nonprofit organizations at the highest levels of the legislative and executive branches, and world has collaborated with governments officials around the world to solve pressing policy challenges. We look forward to James being a part of Bloom Energy’s mission to move the world toward a carbon-free future while achieving reliability and economic growth.”
We look forward to James being a part of Bloom Energy’s mission to move the world toward a carbon-free future while achieving reliability and economic growth.
KR Sridhar, Bloom Energy’s founder, Chairman and CEO
Roth joins Bloom from Conservation International (CI), a global environmental NGO focusing on science, policy, and partnerships with key stakeholders. During his five years as Senior Vice President, Global Policy & Government Affairs, Roth led key efforts across U.S. and international policy, managing teams in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He led teams that successfully negotiated a key provision of the Paris Agreement and negotiated carbon trading rules for civil aviation. Prior to CI, Roth led government affairs for Starbucks Corporation, where he managed advocacy efforts on all federal, state and local matters. Roth is a veteran of the legislative and executive branches of government. In Congress, he served as Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, and Senior Policy Advisor to Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana. Prior to the Senate, he worked in the Executive Office of the President of the United States Trade Representative. Formulating trade policy in the Clinton and Bush administrations, Roth helped to negotiate trade agreements with countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. An attorney, Roth began his career in private law practice in Washington, D.C.
A published author, Roth’s book “Blessed One” is the true story of Madalitso Muthiya, the first Black African to play in the U.S. Open Golf Championship. Earlier this year, Roth received the U.S. Golf Association’s Herbert Warren Wind Award, the organization’s highest literary honor “to recognize and honor outstanding contributions in research, writing and publishing about golf.”
Brian Vanderbloemen
Brian Vanderbloemen is Bloom’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy and will lead Bloom’s federal efforts, which will involve working with a range of government entities, including the U.S. Congress, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and White House. His responsibilities include direct engagement with policy makers as well as building coalitions with trade associations, outside consultants, and interested stakeholders. In addition, he will collaborate with Bloom’s General Counsel to engage with the Treasury Department regarding implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and with the DOE on the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Vanderbloemen brings six years of experience working at the SAS Institute, where he helped lead the company’s federal government policy initiatives. He identified and supported the alignment of SAS’s software, including artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions, with the federal government’s legislative and regulatory agenda. Prior to joining SAS, Vanderbloemen had over 10 years of experience as an energy policy consultant to several Fortune 500 electric utility companies, including Duke Energy, Dominion, Vistra Corp. and Southern Company. Brian started his career on Capitol Hill, where he spent almost a decade as Senior Policy Advisor to Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina. Notably, Brian was the lead negotiator for Burr in House-Senate negotiations on the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Roth and Vanderbloemen will be based in Washington, D.C.
