ThinkLabs AI, Inc., a startup focused on developing technology to help enhance electric grid planning and operations through a combination of intelligent automation and AI, today announced the appointment of five new senior team members. This management team will be instrumental in shaping the company's trajectory, ensuring alignment with ThinkLabs' objectives, and propelling the company’s long-term growth strategy in the AI and grid management sectors.
“I am very excited that our ThinkLabs senior team is now fully assembled and ready to drive our mission forward. With more than 100 years of combined experience in technology, product development, R&D, finance, engineering and leadership in the private and public sectors, they bring a wealth of knowledge that will benefit our organization and support its growth,” said Josh Wong, Founder and CEO of ThinkLabs. “This specialized team will leverage their diverse backgrounds to help build our AI digital twin, and grid copilot for critical grid planning and operations.”
As the Chief Technology Officer at Thinklabs AI, Inc., Mr. Neal Vali drives the company's overall technology strategy and vision. A founding member and officer, Vali leads a multidisciplinary team implementing advanced technology across the entire ecosystem, including AI/ML development, data engineering, MLOps, product engineering, technology operations, and information security. Prior to Thinklabs AI, Neal was the Head of Data and ML Engineering at GE Vernova, where he played a pivotal role in redefining Grid Orchestration using cloud-native solutions. His career spans leadership roles at high-growth startups and Fortune 100 companies, consistently driving digital transformation and innovation.
With over two decades of technology leadership experience, Neal continues to be at the forefront of innovation in the energy, aviation, transportation, and technology sectors. He has spearheaded complex products and projects, collaborating with global customers on cutting-edge technologies.
Mr. Gang Zheng, Director of Research and Development at ThinkLabs, worked as the Director of Autonomous Grid Orchestration and Senior Manager of WAMS at GE. There, he led a software development and delivery team across the US and Canada, focusing on product development, project delivery, and user support. His team successfully delivered key projects such as real-time distribution system state estimation, distribution model validation, and an oscillation source location system for power grids. He also held the roles of Project Manager and Senior Power Systems Engineer at Powertech Labs for over five years.
With over a decade of experience for EMS, WAMS, and DSATools applications, his innovative algorithm for oscillation source location won the global IEEE OSL Contest in 2021.
Mr. Chaitanya Baone, Head of Product at ThinkLabs brings over 12 years of experience in power and energy management products across T&D grid planning and operations, microgrids, EV smart charging and energy storage optimization. Baone has a proven track record of driving growth through innovation and has held leadership roles in R&D, engineering and product management organizations across GE, Eaton, Rivian and Itron. He holds a PhD degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a co-inventor of over 35 patents.
At ThinkLabs, he is leading product management efforts including developing product vision, strategy and roadmap that are aligned with overall company vision and market needs.
Mr. Surendranath (Suren) Vallabhajosyula is the Head of Machine Learning & Data Engineering at ThinkLabs. In this role, he is responsible for defining and building the company’s machine learning platform, overseeing application design, architecture, security practices, and infrastructure for multi-cloud data and machine learning applications. With over 27 years of extensive technical experience, Vallabhajosyula has led the design, development, deployment, and administration of complex programs across large organizations.
Before joining ThinkLabs, Suren served as the Senior Director of Architecture and Data Platforms at Toyota Financial Services (TFS). There, he spearheaded the development of a secure, scalable, multi-tenant global data platform to support various data and machine learning initiatives.
Before becoming the Head of Finance at ThinkLabs AI, Ms. Vimali Pathmanathan, CPA, CA worked for GE Vernova and Opus One Solutions (acquired by GE Vernova in 2022) for seven years. She held key roles as Controller and Director of Finance, playing a pivotal role in financing and acquisition activities.
At ThinkLabs, Pathmanathan is leading financial strategy and operations to drive growth and innovation. She is an experienced financial and operational professional with expertise in controllership, tax, audit, financial analysis, reporting, cash flow management, budgeting and forecasting.
"AI is revolutionizing the management of electrical grids by enabling smarter, more efficient, and more resilient energy systems, and ThinkLabs is leading the way,” said Wong. “Utilizing the expertise of our experienced leadership team, as well ThinkLabs’ Copilot, we can help enable utility grid planners and operators to more effectively manage complex modern grids in increasingly challenging contexts. I feel confident that together with this new management power team, we can unlock a sustainable and reliable future for our electrical grids."
