Work Wisdom: Achal Sondhi ’07

By Alexandra McLaughlin ’16

As a child visiting extended family in India, Achal Sondhi ’07 wondered why there were frequent blackouts. He thought, “This region should have enough power for everyone.” The immense need for energy was clear.

On later visits, the smog made him cough, and more recently, his son experienced coughing. He thought, “This is horrible.” Worse, this issue wasn’t limited to India but affected many parts of Asia.

“From working on wind projects early in my career, I know there’s an economical way to change this,” Sondhi says. “I want to be part of that story.”

As chief investment officer at Aquila Capital, Sondhi expands the team’s clean energy portfolio across the Asia-Pacific region, aiming to achieve multiple gigawatts of renewable energy like solar, wind, and batteries.

His career in finance and energy has spanned Washington, DC, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Recently, he played a key role in advancing battery energy storage systems in the Asia-Pacific. This technology enables more renewable energy by balancing the grid. Here, he reflects on his career journey and lessons learned.

Trust is crucial

I grew up in Hong Kong and India. Classmates above me went to Macalester, and a teacher spoke highly of the school. Minnesota was a shock, especially seeing snow for the first time, but I’d do it all over again.

With a knack for economics, I planned to pursue investment banking. A close friend from Macalester ended up in Washington, DC, at an energy consulting firm. He said, “You should check this out.” He was one of the smartest, most down-to-earth guys I knew. I trusted him and got a job in Hong Kong but chose to stay in DC. It was a good start to my career because I entered an environment where everyone was caring and open to teaching.

Everything takes unexpected twists. A visa issue arose, and I didn’t get my US work visa. I thought I would lose my job, but the company felt I had more to give and moved me to the London office. Working in different geographies and experiencing new kinds of projects was amazing.

Then the recession hit, and my job was made redundant. My old boss in DC said, “No worries, I want him back in the DC office.” Fortunately, visa arrangements were easier this time. Trusting and being around people who care about you helps during both good and tough times.

Follow people—not the job

I met two people who were doing a solar startup in Hong Kong. They said, “Join us. Do it for a year. If you don’t like it, you can move on. If you like it, you’ll learn a lot.” I stayed for two years and loved it. We were building a solar organization around Southeast Asia. The business was run by a few entrepreneurs and a local Hong Kong family who were hospitable, nice, and good at doing business in the region.

I follow people and their values, not the job. I got the most out of that job in terms of dealing with people and managing negotiations in Asia. I learned how to read people, react to people, and most importantly, show respect.

Get stuff done

Be the person who knows how to get things done. Junior team members sometimes are shocked when I create a working document or financial model from scratch. Sometimes you can’t delegate and need to push things yourself. This ability is crucial.

Learn from the annoying habits

I’ve worked with many difficult people. At GE Capital, there were many who resembled Louis Litt from Suits—very rigorous. I hated sitting in a room for hours till midnight, going through a financial model step by step. I thought, “This is annoying and a waste of time.” But now, I appreciate how it made me more detailed.

Looking back, you can take annoying traits positively. A pushy, borderline micromanaging colleague kept everyone on their toes. I appreciate every kind of person I’ve worked with. They got stuff done with those methods. Think about how you can do that and still be collaborative. If you take certain traits of people and find a way to extract their effectiveness, you can grow a lot.

You can never plan it perfectly

I try to plan ten years ahead, but you can never plan perfectly. I never expected to be in London or Singapore, but I’m loving it. Always be open. Have a long-term view, but follow the opportunities that come your way.