vitaly lee

vitaly lee

Degree: 1997, MPA

Job Title: Executive Vice President, BayWa r.e. Solar Projects

Vitaly Lee (MPA '97) was one of the first recipients of the Edmund Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program which provided opportunities for graduate students and professionals from the former Soviet bloc to study in the United States and as luck would have it - his professional aspirations outlined in his fellowship application were matched by the academic rigor provided by the University of Delaware (then College of Urban Affairs & Public Policy). While at UD, Vitaly focused on Public Finance & Fiscal Policy, supplementing coursework with a year-long internship at Delaware Division of Revenue, Department of Finance. During that time, Vitaly researched tax avoidance and evasion and what influences tax compliance behaviors. His research culminated in his master's thesis on said subject and applied to the newly adopted western-style Taxation Code in his then home country - Republic of Kazakhstan. Being 22 years old when he first arrived in Newark, DE - practically his first time outside of the Soviet bloc countries, Vitaly immediately felt at home and welcomed by a very caring and knowledgeable faculty (Arno Loessner, Jeffrey Raffel, Eric Jacobson, Audrey Hartman to name a few). While at UD, Vitaly received the honorary Pi Alpha Alpha award. 

Upon return to Kazakhstan, Vitaly started his career at one of the “big 6” accounting firms as Tax Associate, but he was quickly headhunted by one of his first clients, a Fortune 200 company AES Corporation, one of the world’s largest independent energy producers. He has been in the energy industry for over 20 years now primarily focusing on commercial, project development, regulatory and asset management. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Development at BayWa r.e. Solar Projects where he oversees the development of BayWa r.e.’s solar project portfolio in the US and Mexico.

The academic knowledge and hands-on experience Vitaly received at UD helped him advance his career in the private sector, however without a doubt, his thorough understanding of how to deal with the public sector decision-makers in everything from permitting agencies to local zoning boards, planning commissions, State and Federal regulatory agencies was key to his professional success. Vitaly was instrumental in establishing the regulatory framework for AES in California post energy crisis of 2000-2001.

Vitaly has negotiated multiple cross-border transactions and has traveled to 30+ countries.