Daniel K H Chao

Daniel K.H. Chao is currently a Senior Vice President at TerraPower LLC, a company majority-owned by Bill Gates that is developing a Fourth Generation breed and burn fast nuclear reactor technology. This technology will set the industry standard for safety, is environmentally friendly through the use of depleted uranium or spent fuel rods as fuel, is cost-competitive, and non-proliferating. Dr. Chao is responsible for all commercial relations for the company, which hopes to build a demonstration plant in China. Dr. Chao was formerly a Senior Vice President and partner of Bechtel Group, Inc, where he worked for 20 years. From 2003-2006, he was the Chairman and President of Bechtel China based in Shanghai, where he was responsible for Bechtel’s activities in Greater China, including establishing engineering and procurement centers and managing four operating companies. Prior to moving to China, Dr. Chao was SVP and Managing Director in Bechtel Enterprises, the finance and investment arm of the Bechtel Group. He established and managed separate infrastructure companies involved in owning and operating airports, water systems, and roads around the world. Dr. Chao was also responsible for managing all of Bechtel’s project financing offices globally and worked on numerous multi-billion dollar projects including the Chek Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong, the privatized water distribution system in Manila, and the high-speed rail line from Seoul to Pusan. Prior to joining Bechtel, Dr. Chao was a vice president of Citicorp Global Investment Bank and Chemical Bank where he specialized in project finance, energy-related corporate banking, interest rate and foreign exchange rate hedging, corporate finance, and risk management. Dr. Chao is also very active in supporting not-for-profit organizations. As a Director of The 1990 Institute, for the past 5 years, he has championed the development of a sustainable microfinance institution in Shaanxi province to help alleviate poverty in China’s rural areas. He is also serving on the Advisory Board of the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy’s (Tufts U.) Center for Emerging Market Enterprises, and on the Board of Directors of the Committee of 100, and the Head-Royce School in Oakland California where he is also the Treasurer. Previously, Dr. Chao has served on the Advisory Board of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., the Board of Directors of the U.S.-China Business Council, and as President and Chairman of the California-Asia Business Council. Dr. Chao holds a B.A. from Stanford University (Phi Beta Kappa), M.A., M.A.L.D., and Ph.D degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and an Advanced Professional Certificate in Business from New York University.