We are excited to share some excellent news with all of you! 

We are pleased to announce that the Right Energy partnership with Indigenous Peoples (REP) has a new Executive Director: Mr. Adrian Banie Lasimbang, a Kadazan from Sabah Malaysia. A self-taught innovator, he has designed and developed locally produced Micro Hydro turbines and other Renewable Energy systems dedicated to rural electrification. He has installed over 40 of these systems in rural villages across Malaysia. Adrian founded TONIBUNG, a Social Enterprise that promotes Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technologies in Malaysia. He has been actively providing mentorship and support for new social enterprises in Sabah through coaching and mentoring program, including incubating design prototypes to enable social enterprises to scale up their business.   

Adrian is a passionate indigenous leader with extensive experience in natural resources management, renewable energy rights, and sustainability. He was the former president and founder of Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS), the umbrella body for Orang Asal (Indigenous Peoples) organizations in Malaysia, consolidating the voices of indigenous communities in Malaysia to international forums such as United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, and other related regional and global forums.  Adrian is also a trained and certified Geographic Information System (GIS) trainer from ESRI California. He has introduced community groups in resource management and customary rights mapping through his work in JOAS. The maps he helped produce have been used in many land rights court litigations, resulting in several landmark land rights cases in Malaysia. In addition, Adrian has been working on community watershed management projects since 1999, conducting community awareness workshops, participatory mapping, enrichment planting, and gravity water supply systems. He has won multiple recognition, including the 2004 SEACOLOGY Prize, the 2005 NSTP-PWC Young Humanitarian Awards, the 2006 ASEAN Energy Awards, the 2007 Outstanding Young Sabahan, the 2008 Outstanding Young Malaysian Awards, the 2010 National Geographic Society Great Energy Challenge, and recently, 2022 The Star Golden hearts awards.

His strong commitment to energy justice and experience in developing innovative solutions make him the ideal person to lead our organization toward a more equitable and sustainable future for Indigenous Peoples. 

As Executive Director, Adrian will be dedicated to strengthening the Right Energy Partnership with Indigenous Peoples (REP) mission,  working tirelessly to promote access to clean and sustainable energy for Indigenous Peoples worldwide. His strategic vision and experience in developing meaningful partnerships will help us expand our impact and drive positive change in indigenous territories most in need.

Adrian’s experience as a former Senator in Malaysia will guide him in advancing inclusive dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders, from governments to non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and Indigenous Peoples.  His political experience also gives him an invaluable perspective on policies and regulations related to sustainable energy and natural resource management. His efforts to build and strengthen partnerships will support the principles of REP for respecting and protecting human rights, social justice, and sustainability.

We are confident that his inspirational leadership and ability to work with development actors and Indigenous Peoples will advance the vision and goals of REP in contributing sustainable solutions to climate change.

Please join us in welcoming Adrian Lasimbang as our new Executive Director as we advance the Right Energy Partnership to new heights.