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Nopporn Suppipat

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Nopporn Suppipat
Nopporn Suppipat in 2017
Born (1971-03-30) March 30, 1971 (age 53)
Bangkok Thailand
NationalityThai
EducationBaylor University, University of Miami, USA
Occupation(s)Investor and member of Strategic Committee in Blade Group
Known forFounder and CEO of Wind Energy Holding

Nopporn Suppipat (born March 30, 1971) is a Thai businessman living in Paris. He is largest investor in French tech start-up, Blade Group[1]. Suppipat became known in Thailand as founder and CEO of Wind Energy Holding (WEH) which became South East Asia’s largest wind power business in 2014 with a valuation of $1.9 billion.[2] Following the 2014 coup d'etat in Thailand he was forced to flee the country after being accused of lese majeste.[3] He was granted political asylum by the French authorities and has now settled in Paris.[4]

Early life

Nopporn Suppipat was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. He is the eldest son of two dentists. He moved to the US to attend high school and then undertook coursework for a BA at the University of Miami before eventually settling in Thailand.[5][6]

Career

Suppipat first entered the business investing in the stock market as a freshman. With seed money of $2,850, he became a dollar millionaire at the age of 20. Within two years however, he lost most of his fortune.[7]

He later invested in a 100MW conventional power plant, but his investment ended after Thailand's economic bubble burst and his partner decided to sell in 1998. After this, he set up a small magazine business.[8]

In 2005, Suppipat turned his attention to renewable energy. He hired a research company to carry out a feasibility study about Thailand’s wind resources and in 2006 he launched Renewable Energy Corporation (REC).

In 2009, Suppipat launched Wind Energy Holding (WEH) with REC as the holding company and Pradej Kitti-itsaranon,[9] the head of the SET-listed engineering group Demco Plc as a minority shareholder.[10] He launched two sites in the northeastern province of Isan with a capacity to produce 207 megawatts of power, and with more projects in the pipeline.[11] WEH grew to become Southeast Asia’s largest wind energy company valued at $1.2 billion with preparations for an initial public offering.[12][13]

In June 2014, Suppipat was listed number 31 on Forbes Asia’s ranking of Thailand’s 50 Richest with a net worth of $800 million.[5]

Controversy and exile

In the aftermath of the 2014 military coup, Suppipat was charged with violating Thailand’s strict lese majeste laws in connection with the graft investigation that implicated relatives of former Thai Princess Srirasmi.[14][15] After discovering he would be charged under lese majeste law, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years on each count, Suppipat travelled to Cambodia on November 30, 2014, stating: “I knew '112' (lese majeste charge) would mean I wouldn't get bail... I couldn't take that risk."[16] Suppipat has protested his innocence and claims the charges against him were politically motivated because authorities perceived him to be close to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.[17] Suppipat is known among prominent Thai academics for being pro-democracy.[18] Suppipat has been granted political asylum by the French authorities and is currently living in Paris.

Sale of WEH to KPN Group

Almost immediately after leaving Thailand, Suppipat stood down as the CEO of WEH[13] and was replaced by former co-chief executive Emma Collins.[14] On June 25, 2015, Suppipat sold his 75% majority stake to KPN Group with the management team of WEH becoming the minority shareholders in the company.[19]

KPN have recently been accused of several cases of mishandling WEH funds, which surfaced after former company accountant Asama Thanyaphan claimed to have been forced under duress to falsify the accounts to conceal the withdrawals from shareholders. KPMG, the external auditor for WEH, resigned shortly afterwards, refusing to endorse the 2015/6 accounts.[20]

Investment in Blade Group

Since moving to France, Suppipat has invested in French startup Blade Group which is developing a new type of Cloud computer called Shadow and which is being marketed as “The PC of the Future.”[21] On June 14 2017 Blade announced a €51 million capital increase with Suppipat, the largest investor, joining the company's Strategic Committee.[22]

References

  1. ^ https://www.iot-now.com/2017/06/16/63168-french-start-blade-raises-e51m-ramp-deployment-shadow-reinvented-pc/#more-63168
  2. ^ http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/foreign-policy/341719-opinion-the-case-for-reasserting-us-influence-in-southeast
  3. ^ "Add Thailand To The Wave Of Nationalist Regimes Sweeping The World". forbes. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Nopporn Suppipat". Linkedin.
  5. ^ a b "Nopporn Suppipat". Forbes.
  6. ^ http://www.mda.co.th/news112014/18Going%20with%20the%20Wind.pdf
  7. ^ http://www.mda.co.th/news112014/18Going%20with%20the%20Wind.pdf
  8. ^ http://www.mda.co.th/news112014/18Going%20with%20the%20Wind.pdf
  9. ^ "Pradej Kitti-itsaranon". Forbes.
  10. ^ http://www.mda.co.th/news112014/18Going%20with%20the%20Wind.pdf
  11. ^ "Wind Energy Holding to start operations at Thailand wind farm". Power Technology.
  12. ^ http://www.mda.co.th/news112014/18Going%20with%20the%20Wind.pdf
  13. ^ a b "One of Thailand's Rising Energy Stars Implicated in Corruption Probe". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Thailand's Wind Energy appoints new CEO after graft scandal". Daily Mail. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  15. ^ "Thailand crown prince strips wife's family of royal name". BBC. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  16. ^ "Fugitive Thai millionaire protests his innocence". Daily Mail. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  17. ^ "Fugitive Thai millionaire protests his innocence". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  18. ^ "Trump's Rise Is Making the Old Soviet Playbook Relevant Again". Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  19. ^ "KPN acquires 75% stake in Renewable Energy Corp from former majority shareholder". Dealstreetasia. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  20. ^ "Scandal at Thai Wind Concern Threatens US$2 billion IPO". asiasentinel. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  21. ^ "Blade Group". linkedin.
  22. ^ http://www.lefigaro.fr/secteur/high-tech/2017/06/14/32001-20170614ARTFIG00182-blade-leve-51-millions-d-euros-pour-construire-l-ordinateur-du-futur.php
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