Vice President for Ukraine Operations
Riaz Awan is Vice President with direct responsibilities for management and oversight of all aspects of Holtec International operations in Ukraine. In this capacity, he serves as the Executive Sponsor of the Chornobyl Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility and the Ukraine Central Spent Fuel Storage Facility Projects Additionally, he is responsible to perform his duties as the executive in-charge for the business and financial operations of the NCI.
Mr. Awan’s record of service of over 40 years extends to both the United States Government and the commercial nuclear industry in the US and abroad.
Mr. Awan has extensive experience in managing policy, strategic, programmatic, technical, and implementation aspects of all major projects related to spent fuel management, nuclear energy, nuclear nonproliferation, nuclear safety, environmental restoration and waste remediation, and other areas.
Recently, Mr. Awan served as the Corporate Senior Director for Special Projects and Managing Director for Holtec’s Decommissioning Projects at the Company’s Camden, New Jersey Office. During the period 2012 – 2017, he was responsible for the management and oversight of all Holtec operations in Ukraine including the ISF-2 and Central Storage Projects.
In December 2011, Mr. Awan retired after 21 years of distinguished service with the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA). At DOE/NNSA, he served as the Senior Director of the DOE European Regional Office at the United States Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria from August 2009 through November 2011. Mr. Awan established the DOE first ever Bulgaria regional office and significantly advanced the U.S. Government and DOE/NNSA nonproliferation and energy security objectives in Central and South East Europe, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea region. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Director and Senior Energy Attaché of the DOE Office at the United States Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine from June 2001 through August 2009 managing a large portfolio of energy security, nuclear safety, nonproliferation, Chornobyl decommissioning, and environmental research programs. From July 1995 until June 2001, Mr. Awan served as the Senior Program Manager in DOE’s International Programs Office where he managed numerous nuclear safety and nonproliferation programs in Ukraine and Eastern and Central Europe. From October 1990 through June 1995, he was the Program Manager of DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy with responsibilities for ensuring safe operations of nuclear facilities. Before joining DOE, Mr. Awan worked in the private U.S. nuclear energy sector for more than ten years.
Mr. Awan is the recipient of the 2011 DOE/NNSA Administrator Gold Medal, the 2009 DOE/NNSA Administrator Silver Medal, the Prestigious 2003 Service to America Medal for National Security and International Affairs, and the 2002 Secretary of Energy Award. He has also been recognized as an effective U.S. Diplomat to advance US commercial industry business and US national security objectives in several countries.