Nicolas Payen
linkedin.com/in/nicolaspayen
📞 +31 6 21 30 38 48
✉️ nicolas_payen@icloud.com
🌐 My Website
Händellaan 15, 1411 JG Naarden, The Netherlands
Summary
Entrepreneur and international business leader with 20+ years of experience across energy, digital technology and sustainable finance. Currently Founder & CEO of HEA World, building a SaaS infrastructure enabling organizations to deploy secure, governed and content-grounded AI agents. Proven track record in strategy, digital transformation, venture building and scaling international operations across Europe and Asia (teams up to 80+, business activities up to €200M).
Skills
- General Management & Business Growth – Full P&L responsibility, proven track record in scaling teams and driving growth across Europe and Asia.
- Commercial Strategy & Partnerships – Expertise in go-to-market execution, key account management, and regional expansion.
- Digital Transformation & IoT – Led the development of digital platforms and industrial IoT solutions.
- Entrepreneurship & Venture Building – Built startups and innovation studios, raised funds, designed and launched products.
- Sustainable Finance & Investments – Structured impact investment funds, analyzed and supported renewable energy project financing.
Significant Experience
- General Management & Growth – HEA World (Founder & CEO), Positive Energy Ltd (CEO), Schneider Electric (Asia Commercial Director)
- Digital Transformation & Innovation – MANN+HUMMEL (IoT Lab Director), Schneider Electric (Smart Home Project Director)
- Entrepreneurship & Impact – Future Economy Studio (Founder), GreenEU Fund (Co-initiator)
- Partnerships & Business Development – Schneider Electric (Channel Director APAC/MENA), Silicomp / Orange Business Services (Project Manager)
Sectors of Expertise
- Energy & renewable energy
- Electrical engineering & automation systems
- Digital technology & industrial IoT
- Sustainable real estate & smart building
- Infrastructure finance / climate / ESG
- Industry (automotive, filtration, manufacturing)
- Innovation consulting and product development
Work Experience
2025 – Present
HEA World
The Netherlands
Founder & CEO
Mission
Design and scale a SaaS infrastructure enabling organizations to build, publish, and govern their own Human-Enhanced Agents (HEAs).
Results
- Architected and deployed a multi-tenant AI platform (Foundry + Chat Engine + Widget) on serverless asynchronous infrastructure.
- Built proprietary ingestion, extraction, enrichment, and embedding pipeline for structured knowledge grounding.
- Implemented governance layer: encrypted knowledge storage, controlled publication workflow, domain-based access control.
- Deployed production HEAs for early organizations (non-profits, agencies, education).
- Led end-to-end company build: branding, positioning, pricing model, legal framework, sales and financial structuring.
2024
Sabbatical / Transition
The Netherlands
Independent work
Activities
- Designed and formalized the 4Gs investment framework (Green, Grey, Generational, Global) and developed a Python-based quantitative portfolio analysis tool.
- Dedicated transition period to independent AI R&D: explored LLM architectures, retrieval systems, automation workflows, and agent governance.
2017 - 2023 (5.5y)
Positive Energy Ltd
Singapore, Amsterdam
Founder & CEO
Mission
Build a Climate Fintech, operate B2B digital platform for renewable energy financing.
Results
- Led product design, governance, and sales, growing platform to 750 companies.
- Drove $1.2B potential project financing, securing $100K revenue in 12 months.
- Structured partnerships for €175M GreenEU investment fund.
- Hired and managed 9 FTEs at peak.
2017 - 2023 (5.5y)
Future Economy Studio
Singapore
Founder & Managing Director
Mission
Launched a startup studio to create and scale digital ventures.
Results
- Developed and tested four ventures across digital and industrial tech.
- Grew portfolio valuation to $4.5M by end of 2019.
2016 - 2017 (1y)
MANN+HUMMEL
Singapore
Global IoT / Industry 4.0 Lab Director
Mission
Created and directed global IoT strategy and innovation lab for the group.
Kick-off and deploy digital transformation initiatives.
Kick-off and deploy digital transformation initiatives.
Results
- Developed IoT-enabled filtration monitoring solutions, targeting $5M revenue.
- Launched new digital services, integrating Industry 4.0 applications.
- Hired/managed Direct 5.
2006 - 2015 (10y)
Schneider-ElectricHong-Kong
APAC & Middle East Channel Director
Mission
Led €200M channel business in the building automation sector.
Results
- Expanded partner network, optimizing sales strategies across 10+ countries.
- Developed EcoExperts program, enhancing channel engagement and revenue.
- Managed Direct: 1 Indirect: 8.
Hong-Kong
Asia Commercial Director
Mission
Managed €25M P&L for EcoBuilding division, delivering profitable growth.
Results
- Achieved turnaround from -15% to +15% YoY growth.
- Developed partnerships with regional telecom & utility providers.
- Managed Direct: 5, Indirect: 80 (Asia).
Paris
Global Smart Home Project Director
Mission
Co-led internal start-up for IoT residential energy mgmt solutions with €50M investment.
Results
- Launched energy management platform Wiser, expanding IoT offerings.
- Developed demand-side management API for utilities.
- Hired/managed Direct: 6, Indirect: 17.
Sweden
Product Manager
Mission
Oversaw business strategy and portfolio for cable management systems.
Results
- Developed business case for €30M market expansion.
- Led product adaptation for Nordic countries.
Grenoble
Deputy Marketing Manager
Mission
Analyze/Benchmark MES market and offering for various verticals.
Results
- Developed strategic recommendations.
- Propose Make/Buy scenarios with M&A targets.
2002 - 2004 (2y)
Orange Business Services (Silicomp AQL)Lyon
Technical Project Manager
Mission
Deliver custom built software solutions for various industrial customers.
Results
- Concurrency SW projects management & team management
- Presales activities, Project organisation and execution, Comissioning and roll-out of the solution.
- Customers: Companie National Du Rhône (EDF), Alstom, Renault Trucks, CEA, BIC, Schneider-Electric
Education
Harvard Business School (2014) - Executive Certificate
Creating Shared Value by Michael Porter
EMLyon Business School (2004 - 2005) - Masters
Technology & Innovation Management
INPG ESISAR (1997 - 2002) - Engineer’s Degree
Industrial Engineering
Online executive education
University Bocconi (2021)
Private Equity & Venture Capital
University Bocconi (2021)
Financing & Investing in infrastructure
INSEAD (2017)
Strategy in the Age of Digital Disruption
Hobbies
Photography [.],
Volunteering & fundraising for foundation "Het Gehandicapte Kind" [.],
Climate Tech group animation [.],
Investing and 4Gs portfolio management [.] & [.]