Energy trading company Energy Exchange of South Africa (EXSA) has announced the appointment of Dr Roelof van Huyssteen as its head of regulatory. This was the latest of the company’s top-level executive appointments, following those of Aneeka Savahl as head of legal and Retief Ferreira as COO, both in March.
EXSA, established in 2017 and awarded a trading licence by the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa in 2022, provides grid-connected renewable energy to corporate clients through “wheeling”. (This involves the delivery of electricity from a private generator to an end-user by means of an existing distribution or transmission system.)
“South Africa’s energy transition will be won or lost in the regulatory detail,” highlighted Van Huyssteen. “My work has always been about closing the gap between how renewables operate and how they are regulated. EXSA has already shown what’s possible with wheeling at scale. I’m joining to help build forward-looking, commercially workable frameworks, drawing from international best practice, that let customers access cleaner power faster, without compromising market stability.”
He holds a Doctorate in Law (LLB) in Renewable Energy Regulation, from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), and is an attorney specialising in energy law and policy. His LLB research was focused on the legal gaps between the actual implementation of renewable energy and the regulation thereof. He also held a Master of Law (LLB), cum laude, again from NMU, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Pretoria.
“Roelof brings a rare blend of deep legal scholarship in renewable regulation, plus hands-on advisory experience across carbon-markets, climate law and energy strategy,” pointed out EXSA CEO Wayne Cowie. “With Retief and Aneeka having joined us in March to sharpen our commercial and legal engines, Roelof completes the core trio we need to navigate the next phase of market reform. His appointment strengthens our ability to scale confidently, engage proactively with regulators, and continue delivering market-leading wheeling solutions.”