Arvind Ramakrishnan

Arvind’s career began in India’s IT boom in the early 2000s, where he discovered a passion for finance and client-focused roles that complemented his engineering background. His belief in the value of diverse perspectives helped him pursue an MBA at the University of British Columbia (UBC), shaping his ability to innovate business solutions.

After studying in British Columbia, he embraced the outdoor lifestyle and made it an integral part of his life. Professionally, Arvind has led transformative initiatives, including a CNG refueling network, LNG infrastructure for export markets and bunkering, and biomethane programs to advance decarbonization. He now leads Deloitte’s hydrogen and low-carbon fuels initiatives, focusing on building a multifuel economy to support the energy transition.

Born in southern India, Arvind’s early years were shaped by frequent relocations for education and job opportunities. He completed his electronics engineering degree as India became a global services hub in the early 2000s.

“The software boom was just beginning, and companies like Microsoft and IBM were hiring thousands of engineers for their offshore centers.”

Arvind joined the wave, starting his career developing tools and systems. He soon realized a purely technical role wasn’t for him.

“I asked to be transferred to a customer-facing sales role. To my surprise, I did well. That’s when I discovered my interest in finance and market-facing work.”

Arvind acted on his ambitions and applied to the Indian Institutes of Management and top US and Canadian business schools after excelling on the GMAT, a graduate entrance exam. Although his strong score earned him offers from many schools, the high tuition fees put US schools out of reach.

“When I told my dad, a steel mill worker, he just fell off his chair.”

Undeterred, he turned to Canadian business schools, sharing his vision for India’s economic future and the value of diverse perspectives in education.

Impressed by his insights, UBC awarded him with a seat and helped secure a tuition loan.

“With the fees covered and enough money to survive campus life on pizzas, I completed my MBA. At the time, studying abroad was a privilege for Indian students due to the high costs.”

With a student visa only valid for six months after graduation, Arvind began job hunting early, securing several offers. After graduation, he took a job with a fuel cell technology company.

“At the time, lithium-ion batteries were still new in EVs. Initially, our EV technology replaced fossil-fuel-powered golf carts and airport scissor lifts. Later, we struck an OEM deal with Toyota for its first plug-in hybrid EV.”

In his role, Arvind assessed market demand for fuel cells, identified potential original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and developed a go-to-market strategy.

Early in his Canadian life, Arvind returned to India and proposed to his childhood sweetheart.

“I warned her that living in BC would be a big change, but we’d make it work. We now have two children and love living in this beautiful province. I wasn’t an outdoorsy person, but BC made me one. Now, I love the mountains, ocean, skiing, kayaking, and hiking–it’s become integral to my life.”

Arvind also gives back to his community, teaching sustainability at UBC and coaching badminton and tennis.

Arvind’s passion for energy technology and the energy transition led him to a role at Fortis, where he tackled the challenge of preparing the energy utility for the transition away from fossil fuels by investing in low and zero carbon fuels.

Within two years, Arvind had made his mark on the company by guiding the executives through a planning cycle with a 20-year approach incorporating multiple scenarios, helping them to embrace uncertainty and adapt to changing energy demands and client preferences.

At Fortis, Arvind led several groundbreaking business initiatives, including the development of a CNG refuelling station network for transportation, LNG infrastructure to serve export markets like China, bunkering services for Canada’s shipping industry, and capturing biomethane from landfills and wastewater treatment plants as part of a decarbonization program.

After 15 years at Fortis, Arvind sought new challenges.

“When I’m too comfortable in a role, it’s usually time for a change.”

With his company’s support, he joined Deloitte, seeing it as a platform to make a broader impact.

Now leading Deloitte’s hydrogen and low-carbon fuels initiatives, Arvind focuses on the growing importance of a multifuel economy in the energy transition.

“Hydrogen in Canada is in its early stages, with investments lagging expectations despite growing policy and financial support. The focus is shifting to decarbonizing industrial sectors and long-haul transport, where its impact will be greatest.”

Deloitte’s hydrogen work initially centred on advising governments on policy and scaling strategies. Now, it supports the private sector in de-risking investments and adopting hydrogen solutions.

“Our multifuel approach includes renewable diesel, biofuels, and hydrogen, highlighting where real potential exists and the patience needed for long-term success.”