Ashley Smith is Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at AES and has worked in the energy transition for the past two decades. At AES, Ashley sets AES’ innovation agenda and oversees a portfolio of renewables, electrification, and digital innovations.

Prior to joining AES, Ashley was part of Shell’s renewables business, where she led the transformation of Shell’s European power sales and trading group, drove strategic renewables investments and led Shell’s energy transition venture capital activities in Europe.

Before Shell, Ashley co-founded and ran Centrica’s venture capital group, and led the acquisition of a high growth tech company that became the backbone of Centrica’s Connected Home business. Earlier in her career, Ashley worked at CT Investment Partners, Franklin Templeton Investments and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ashley has a B.S. from McGill University and an MBA from Wharton.