Dr. Samir J. Serhan has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of ACWA Power, effective March 1, 2026. The appointment was made by the company’s Board of Directors as part of a planned leadership succession process.
Dr. Serhan previously served as President for Saudi Arabia and the Middle East at ACWA Power. Prior to joining the company, he was Chief Operating Officer at the US-based industrial gases company Air Products, where he oversaw global operations and project execution with profit and loss responsibility across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and India. He also led key functions including technology, global engineering, manufacturing, and equipment.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Serhan served as President – Hydrogen at Praxair. He also spent 14 years with Linde Group in leadership roles across the United States and Germany, culminating in his position as Managing Director of Linde Engineering.
Dr. Serhan brings more than three decades of global leadership experience across large-scale industrial and infrastructure organizations, with a track record in operational transformation, institutional capability building, and disciplined growth in capital-intensive sectors.
The leadership transition follows the tenure of Marco Arcelli, who has served as CEO since March 2023. Arcelli will remain with the company as an advisor to the Chairman of the Board to support a smooth transition.
Mohammad Abunayyan, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ACWA Power, said:
“Acwa stands today as a Saudi national champion and a global leader in renewable energy, water desalination, and green hydrogen, and our position continues to strengthen. We are grateful for Marco’s leadership in advancing Acwa’s strategy and accelerating our growth trajectory. This structured leadership transition reflects the strength of our governance and the maturity of our business platform. Our strategic direction remains clear and unchanged. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Samir Serhan to his new role as CEO of Acwa.”
Dr. Samir J. Serhan, the incoming CEO of ACWA Power, said:
“Every day affords us new opportunities to help our customers and meet pressing energy and water needs around the world. I’m honored to lead Acwa at a pivotal moment as the company accelerates profitable global growth in renewable energy, water desalination, and green hydrogen solutions — including advancing green hydrogen to decarbonize heavy industries — to deliver scalable, sustainable impact worldwide. I look forward to working with our talented Acwa teams around the globe to build on the progress we have achieved and shape the next chapter of our journey.”
Marco Arcelli, the outgoing CEO of ACWA Power, said:
“Over the past three years, Acwa’s portfolio has doubled in size, and we are on track to double it again by 2030, scaling both our footprint and our impact. Acwa now produces around 25% of the world’s desalinated seawater. We have expanded into new markets, including Azerbaijan, China, Kuwait, and Senegal, while advancing energy export opportunities from Saudi Arabia, and cementing our leadership in green molecules. What we have achieved reflects the scale of our ambition, the discipline of our execution, the dedication of our people, and the trust of our partners.”
ACWA Power is one of the world’s largest private desalinated water companies and a major developer, investor, and operator of power generation and desalinated water plants. The company is also expanding its footprint in renewable energy and green hydrogen.
ACWA Power currently provides clean drinking water to nearly 34 million people and electricity to approximately 76 million people globally, supporting energy and water security in multiple markets.
