Our Structure

Tom Mitchell

Tom began his tenure as WANO Chair in March 2019 and his term ends in March 2025. He has over 40 years of nuclear energy leadership experience. He formerly served on the Board of Directors of FirstEnergy Corporation, and also as Chair of the Board’s Nuclear Committee and as a member of its Governance Committee.

He is the retired President, CEO, and Director of Ontario Power Generation in Canada. In that role, and as Chief Nuclear Officer, Tom was directly responsible for the safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation of 10 CANDU-design nuclear units with 6600 MW of capacity.  Prior to this Tom was the senior site vice president of the 4 CANDU unit Pickering B station.

While at OPG, Tom oversaw the successful completion of several new hydroelectric projects, the transition from coal-fired power generation, and a major business transformation of the company’s size and cost structure.

Prior to his OPG experience, Tom had roles of increasing responsibility at Philadelphia Electric Company’s (now Exelon) Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania USA culminating in his appointment as Site Vice President.

Tom was Vice President of International Programs and Assistance at INPO and served as Deputy Director of the WANO Atlanta Centre. While at OPG, Tom was a member of the Atlanta Centre Governing Board and its Chair from 2012 to 2015.

Tom has served on the Board of the US Electric Power Research Institute and was a member of the Leadership and Compensation Committee. He also has served on the Board of the US Nuclear Energy Institute and was Chair of the WANO Post-Fukushima Commission.

Tom has an undergraduate degree in nuclear engineering from Cornell University, a master degree in mechanical engineering from George Washington University, and an honorary doctorate degree from University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi 

Chairman: Mike Rencheck, President and CEO of Bruce Power

Michael W. Rencheck is President and Chief Executive Officer of Bruce Power. Over the last 38 years, Mike has served in a number of roles and most recently was the Deputy Chief Operating Officer for AREVA overseeing its extensive Global capital portfolio of nuclear and renewable projects. Prior to this, he served as President and CEO of AREVA Inc. in North America leading its diverse nuclear services business in Canada and the United States with a workforce of about 5,000 people.

Prior to joining AREVA, Mike was the Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer at American Electric Power (AEP). AEP is a major investor-owned electric utility in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states with 38,000 MWs of generation assets. After joining AEP in 1998 as VP of Nuclear Engineering, Mike held various positions during his tenure, including Senior VP of Engineering, Projects and Field Services; Senior VP of Engineering, Technical and Environmental Services; and President of AEP ProServ, a wholly-owned engineering and field services subsidiary responsible for major power generation projects and outage management.

Before joining AEP, Mike worked in various power generation positions for Florida Power Corporation, Public Service Electric & Gas Company, and Duquesne Light Company.

Mike was recognized by the National Safety Council for his leadership demonstrating a personal commitment to worker safety and health as part of ‘CEO’s who get it’ and by Ontario’s Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Award as “CEO of the Year.” He served as a US Department of Energy Ambassador for minorities in STEM and has demonstrated a commitment to many organizations that make a difference in people’s lives including Habitat for Humanity and United Way. He is a Professional Engineer and certified senior reactor operator

Governor: Robert F. Willard, President and CEO, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations

Governor: Cosmin Ghita, Chief Executive Officer of Centrala Nuclearelectrica Cernavoda

Chairman: Eduard Martirosyan, Director General, Haykakan Atomayin Electrakayan Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC)

Eduard Martirosyan was appointed by order of the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of the Republic of Armenia, as General Director of the «HAEK» CJSC in 2020. He graduated from the Faculty of Transport of the State Engineering University of Armenia in 1996.

Governor: Mr Zhang Yi, General Manager of Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation
Governor: Alexander Shutikov, Director General, Rosenergoatom, Joint-Stock Company

Chairman: Johan Svenningsson, CEO and Country Chairman of Uniper Sweden 

Chairman: Yutaka Kanai, Representative Director & President, Hokuriku Electric Power Company 

Governor: Hayashi Kingo, President and Director, Chubu Electric Power Company, Inc
 

Governor: Mr ZOU Zhengyu, General Manager of China National Nuclear Power Co., LTD (CNNP).

Naoki Chigusa

Dr Naoki Chigusa took up his position as WANO Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on 1 January 2023. Prior to this, he joined the WANO Tokyo Centre in July 2014 as Director General.

He has more than 40 years of experience in Nuclear Operations, Maintenance and Engineering, having started his career in 1982 at the Kansai EPC. He has served at the Ohi and Mihama nuclear power plants, and in the Kansai corporate office and he has served as Director Nuclear Technology and Executive Officer.   

Dr Chigusa has served as an Expert Member on the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan. He is a Professor of the Graduate School of Engineering at Osaka University. 

Dr Chigusa has a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from University of Tokyo. He earned a Master’s degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, both from Kyoto University.  

Steve Meng 

Steve Meng serves a dual role as the Director of the Atlanta Centre for WANO and as Vice President, International Strategy, for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO). He assumed both positions in August 2023. 

Steve joined INPO in 2007 and brings 35 years of experience to his role. Most recently, he was a loaned employee to Duke Energy where he served as Vice President, Corporate Operations. His previous positions include: Director, Plant Operations; Manager, Plant Operations; team leader; Director, Process Optimization; Manager, Emergency Preparedness; and WANO Operating Experience Technical Program Manager. Steve also served as the lead investigator and primary author for the INPO Special Report on the Nuclear Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. 

In addition to INPO, Steve has worked as a Chief Engineer in the fossil industry, held positions in operations and training with General Electric – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories, and engineering and operations with Exelon. 

Steve started his career in 1987 in the United States Navy. He received a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and a master’s degree in business administration from Regis University. Steve earned a senior reactor operator license at Clinton Power Station.

Vasily Aksenov

Mr Aksenov was named Director of the Moscow Centre in February 2015. After graduating from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute in 1981, Mr Aksenov joined the Kalinin NPP branch of Concern Rosenergoatom in 1996, where he was a Chief Engineer until 2005. He then went on to become the Deputy Director General of Concern Rosenergoatom at Kalinin NPP until 2007.

In 2007, he graduated from Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnic University, majoring in Organisation Management. In the same year, he became the Deputy of Technical Director on new power units of Federal State Unitary Enterprise for Concern Rosenergoatom NPPs.

In 2008 until early 2015, he was the First Deputy of the General Director – Chief Engineer of JSC Atomenergoremont of Rosatom State Corporation. He has also been a Candidate of Technical Sciences since 1999.

Satu Kristiina Katajala

In January 2024, Satu Kristiina Katajala became WANO Paris Centre’s Director.

Kim Keeyoung

Mr Kim Keeyoung took up his position as Director General of Tokyo Centre on 1 January 2023.

From November 2021, Mr Kim was KHNP Head Office Safety Department Vice President, in this role, he oversaw the safety performance of 24 KHNP plant units. Before this Mr Kim was the Director General of KHNP’s Human Resource Development (HRD) Institute, in this role he was responsible for the HRD across the company.

Mr Kim has gained more than 30 years of experience in nuclear operation, training and safety oversight including serving as a shift manager and a senior manager at KHNP head office. From 2018 to 2020, he was seconded as Tokyo Centre’s Deputy Director General.

Mr Kim has a Master’s degree in Material Science and Engineering from Pusan National University. He also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from Kyunghee University. Mr Kim also has a Korea Associate Coach Certificate (KCA).