Vincent S. Pérez's career ranged from credit analyst, international banker, debt trader, investment bank partner, private equity investor to cabinet minister.

He was the youngest Philippine Energy Minister from June 2001 to March 2005. He boosted energy self-sufficiency from 45% in 2000 to 51% in 2004. He renewed oil exploration, promoted clean indigenous energy and crafted an ambitious renewable energy policy.

He accelerated a massive rural electrification as part of President Gloria Arroyo's drive against rural poverty energizing a record 5,221 villages and 1,413 hamlets in 4 years.

He pushed power reforms and oversaw the most comprehensive reorganization of five energy agencies with reduction of 3,600 personnel and privatized six state-owned plants. He skillfully led re-negotiations of power contracts with 18 private producers, generating $3 billion in savings.

Mr. Pérez also played a key role in his country’s economic diplomacy, by forging strategic energy partnerships with various countries. He chaired ASEAN and APEC energy ministers meetings and participated in 15 state visits.

He served briefly in early 2001 as Undersecretary for Industry at the Department of Trade and Industry and as Managing Head of the Board of Investments, and led IT investment missions to Europe. As Energy Minister, he actively promoted energy investments such that energy accounted for 65% of total national investments registered in 2004.

Prior to joining the cabinet in 2001, Mr. Pérez had 17 years experience in debt restructuring, capital markets, and private equity in emerging markets. From 1983 to 1997, he had a banking career in Pittsburgh, London, New York and Singapore. After internships with Far East Bank, New Jersey National Bank and Citibank, he joined Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh in 1983. He became a Latin American credit analyst and Mexico desk officer in the Latin American restructuring group.

In 1987, Mr. Pérez joined Lazard Brothers' debt trading team in London. The following year he moved to Lazard Frères in New York and pioneered its emerging markets team, arranging numerous debt and equity financing in Argentina, Brazil, India, Mexico, Philippines and Turkey. At 35, he became the first Asian General Partner at Lazard Frères and the first Filipino partner on Wall Street. In 1995, he became a Managing Director of Lazard Asia in Singapore until 1996.

Mr. Pérez founded Next Century Partners in 1997, a private equity firm that invested in cellular services, semiconductors, and Del Monte Pacific. His team launched start-ups in mobile services, established Asian Conservation Company, an environmental investment company, and acquired El Nido Resorts. .

Currently, Mr. Pérez is founder and CEO of Alternergy Partners, a power company developing renewable energy in emerging countries in Asia.  He is also co-founder and chairman of Merritt Partners, an advisory firm assisting energy companies with their energy investments in Asia.

Mr. Perez is an independent director of Nido Petroleum, Energy Development Corporation (largest geothermal company in Asia), SM Investments, and ST Telemedia (a Temasek company). He invested in Northwind Power, the first commercial wind farm in Southeast Asia.

He is chairman of WWF-Philippines, the Malampaya Foundation, and the Philippine Solar Car Challenge. He is a member of the board of advisors of Coca Cola Philippines and the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. He is active with the Philippine chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization.

Mr. Pérez obtained an MBA from the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines. He was a 2005 World Fellow at Yale University where he lectured an MBA class on renewable power in emerging countries. 

He is married to Leigh Talmage, a former banker who manages Asian Conservation Company, and together they are actively involved with marine conservation, sustainable tourism and sustainable energy. He enjoys scuba and sailing. He is 50 years old.