Water and energy are the pillars of today’s civilization — irreplaceable resources that bring life, drive economic growth, and stimulate social development. With the urgency of increasing climatic risks and intensifying urbanization, the global energy and water industries stand at a crossroads. Facilitating these historic transitions requires more than technical and business wisdom but an acute sense of responsibility to the world and society.
Line Bitar is the personification of this intersection of visionary leadership, operations excellence, and values centered on humanity. As Executive Manager – Project Finance at ACWA Power, she navigates between sustainability, innovation, and finance to bring large-scale infrastructure projects to generate power and safeguard future generations. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Clean Energy Business Council. Her career evolution, strategic thinking, and genuine leadership shed light on a path to an equitable, sustainable energy future.
Early Career Foundations: From Finance to Infrastructure Leadership
Line Bitar gained an internship at a bank during which she acquired good experience while serving on a multi-billion-dollar oil and gas venture in Africa. The exposure made her realize the leading role that structured financing takes in bringing blue sky engineering ideas into actual working realities.
This was followed by Line Bitar broadening her experience in the Middle East and Africa mergers and acquisitions across a variety of sectors and developing a multidisciplinary approach to project appraisal and capital markets. However, she soon realized she wanted to be involved in structuring projects from the very beginning—not just from a financial standpoint—but as part of the overall value creation aimed at benefiting society.
This realization drove her from bank to direct work with a developer. Here she was actively involved in all aspects of the project lifecycle —from structuring, developing, implementing, and taking to operation complicated power and water facilities. The power and water industries were the perfect arena for her skills, combining technical refinement with the ability to deliver fundamental human necessities while working on projects which are key from a geopolitical point of view.
Line Bitar has a rich multicultural background—born to European and Middle Eastern roots—and is fluent in four languages: French, English, Arabic, and Spanish.
Leadership Philosophy: Resilience, Empathy, and Optimism
Three core values that consistently characterize Bitar’s leadership style are optimism, empathy, and resilience. She believes resilience is essential for managing the uncertainty and complexity of infrastructure projects, especially those as large and complex as the company’s portfolio.
Resilience enables leaders to keep their goals in focus and remain calm during economic, environmental, and social challenges. Bitar’s resilience is rooted in a strong sense of purpose—serving others and building permanent societal value—giving her direction and motivation.
Empathy ensures leadership remains focused on the human impact of any megaproject. Energy and water infrastructure directly affect communities, ecosystems, and livelihoods. Bitar’s empathic leadership fostered stakeholder engagement that respects multiple viewpoints and looks ahead to social impacts, connecting project success with general societal well-being.
Optimism drives innovation and perseverance by fostering creativity, encouraging problem-solving, and helping leaders stay motivated through challenges. Bitar’s drive to explore new opportunities fosters a culture of optimism essential for driving disruption in rapidly evolving industries.
Balancing Professional Ambition and Personal Fulfillment
Balancing the needs of a high-pressure executive job and being a parent is a feat Line Bitar handles with deliberate mindfulness and self-control. A mother of two children herself, she is a case study in contemporary, integrated work life balance—involved and present in both.
Bitar’s ideology is quality, not quantity. Instead of never-ending efforts to achieve final segregation of time, she pours everything into her tasks, both boardroom and domestic. This deep commitment builds fulfillment and maintains high performance.
Her motherhood experience has influenced leadership traits such as patience, flexibility, multitasking, and empathy. These have enhanced her skills in dealing with high-pressure situations and managing intricate projects, demonstrating how professional and personal development is a symbiotic relationship. She promotes openly setting boundaries and refueling when necessary—not perks but requirements for sustaining steady performance and well-being. Bitar’s leadership is a balanced example that challenges others to incorporate personal values and professional goals.
Strategic Leadership of Complex Energy and Water Infrastructure
Power plant and desalination plant construction and operation demand more than technical knowledge. It requires a comprehensive strategy that integrates regulatory compliance, financial structuring, stakeholder coordination, and operational execution.
Line Bitar is a master of closing the gap between strategic planning and operating discipline. She knows that strategy without execution is academic, and execution without strategy is random.
Her track record of financial closing on flagship projects demonstrates her project finance, risk management, and contract negotiation expertise. She addresses competing priorities with precision, ensuring each step from feasibility to commissioning aligns with long-term objectives.
Public-Private Partnerships: Capitalizing on Capital and Know-how to Generate Impact
Much of Bitar’s work is spent designing and executing public private partnerships (PPPs)—transactions that tap the public sector mandates and private sector efficiencies.
Her talent for aligning governments’ interests, investors’ interests, contractors’ interests, and communities’ interests has been instrumental in mobilizing billions of capital for infrastructure investments in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. She is convinced that deals will strike a balance between public interest and commercial viability, yielding sustainable outcomes.
Bitar’s contract-negotiation skills in sophisticated contracts and regulatory requirements evidence deep experience in international energy markets and infrastructure finance. Her style promotes transparency, accountability, and mutual value creation—qualities critical to the long-term sustainability and success of PPP projects.
Encouraging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion among Energy Leaders
Being a pioneer for women in the traditionally male industry of energy leadership, Line Bitar actively builds diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the broader energy industry.
She mentors the next generation of women leaders and advocates for programs to grow women’s participation in technical and executive positions. Her participation in forums such as the Women in Energy Summit serves to educate about gender equity issues and initiate systemic change.
Line Bitar’s leadership emphasizes the business and societal advantages of inclusiveness: increased creativity, improved decision-making, and a work environment in which everyone feels valued and empowered.
Her call to women is straightforward: pursue your goals without apology, utilize your particular expertise, and assert your seat forcefully.
Environmental Stewardship: Investing Long-Term Value Over Short-Term Gains
Throughout her career, Line Bitar has had to choose between short term competitiveness and environmental and social responsibility. In every case, she advocates for the latter because sustainable criteria generate more value in the long run.
Her role in integrating strict ESG requirements into project planning is an exemplar of corporate social responsibility and ethical business conduct. In collaboration with global development finance institutions, she has facilitated frameworks for reducing environmental footprints and empowering communities.
Mentorship and Talent Development: Building the Leaders of Tomorrow
Line Bitar’s passion for mentorship goes beyond formal programs. She stresses the importance of providing guidance, sharing experience, and nurturing potential to grow professionally and personally. By supporting and developing others, Line Bitar fosters agility and resilience amid a constantly evolving industry.
Personal Inspirations and Philosophical Foundations
One of Bitar’s greatest inspirations is reading the book Unbowed: A Memoir by Wangari Maathai, whose history of environmental activism and social justice aligns closely with Bitar’s own philosophy.
However, her first mentor is her father, whose humility and willpower left an indelible impression on her personality. His selflessness for the greater good continues to shape her leadership and personal life.
Bitar’s philosophical approach is one of integrity—being genuine in one’s belief and faithful in deeds and words. She finds that genuine leadership builds trust, facilitates open communication, and inspires successful cooperation.
Opinions about the Energy World
Line Bitar believes that the contemporary energy universe is confronted with historic demands: the call to action on climate, surging demand in emerging markets, geopolitical strain, and accelerating technological disruption.
Future Vision: Growing Relevance and Driving Change
Going forward, Line Bitar aims to leave a legacy of hope and trust—a leadership philosophy that inspires individuals and organizations to think ethically and boldly for tomorrow.
A Legacy of Leadership and Purpose
Bitar’s professional career is a witness to the strength of visionary leadership based on technical competence, integrity, and compassion. Her career is a source of inspiration for a new generation of leaders—particularly women—in showing that good leadership can change industries and society.
As the world grapples with 21st-century needs, Bitar’s steadfast dedication to resilience, innovation, and people-first values will continue to guide a sustainable and just energy future.
