Dan Brouillette, former Energy secretary, joins Torridon as co-chair
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Dan Brouillette, who was secretary of Energy in President Trump's first term, is joining the strategic advisory firm Torridon Group as co-chair — and is joining the related law firm, Torridon Law, as senior adviser.
Why it matters: The Torridon firms — which between them include such powerhouse partners as William Barr, Ted Ullyot, Pat Cipollone, Paul Cappuccio and Mike Kelly — are flush with the kind of experience and savvy that's useful in navigating Washington these days.
- The firms have seen an influx of business during the new administration. Fred Fielding and David Urban are of counsel.
Brouillette told Axios in an interview that Torridon "is positioned to look at business opportunities in ways that others can't," since the partners go way beyond law — with titans of government and corporate experience, including policy and regulation.
- Brouillette — who spends part of his time on a farm outside Annapolis, Maryland — told us one of his big focuses will be helping locate and expand power for data centers.
The backstory: The firm's announcement says that under Brouillette's leadership as deputy secretary and then secretary, "the United States became a net energy exporter for the first time in three generations."
- "Brouillette is widely credited for his role in helping stabilize global oil markets during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for facilitating the first-ever ministerial-level energy meetings between Israel and key Middle Eastern nations," the announcement adds.
- "He also led transformative advancements in supercomputing, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information science (QIS) research, and grid-scale energy storage."
After leaving the administration, Brouillette, a specialist in liquefied natural gas (LNG), was president of Sempra Infrastructure, a multinational firm; and president and CEO of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which represents investor-owned utilities.
- Earlier, he was a senior executive at Ford and USAA, and chief of staff to the House Energy and Commerce committee.
What they're saying: Barr, who twice was attorney general, called Brouillette "a proven leader with an exceptional track record in both the public and private sectors. Having served alongside him in the Cabinet, I had the opportunity to witness his ability to navigate complex challenges with sound judgment and long-term vision."
- "His deep understanding of energy markets, corporate strategy, and global risk makes him an invaluable addition to Torridon. I'm thrilled to welcome him to the firm as we continue to build a world-class advisory platform," Barr added.
Cipollone, a former White House counsel, said Brouillette "brings exceptional skills and experience, and a long record of service, leadership and success at the highest levels of government and business."
- Go deeper: Brouillette bio.
