NGP on July 15 said it hired David Colt and Maritza Liaw as partners to focus exclusively on energy transition investing through NGP ETP, the Dallas-based firm’s energy transition platform.

Founded in 1988, NGP is a private equity firm with over $20 billion of cumulative equity commitments organized to make strategic investments in the energy sector. Historically focused on the oil and gas space, the firm launched NGP ETP in 2020 to pursue opportunities arising from technology’s dramatic transformation of global energy markets.

“As the global community focuses on solutions to combat climate change, there is an enormous opportunity to invest in and build businesses that will have a meaningful impact, while generating attractive returns for investors,” commented NGP Managing Partner Chris Carter in a company release on July 15.

NGP ETP targets investments from $20 million to $100 million or more in companies that drive or enable the growth of renewable energy, the electrification of the economy or the efficient use of energy and resources, which Carter said both Colt and  Liaw have experience with.

“David and Maritza are industry veterans who have spent their careers evaluating, advising and making investments in the energy transition,” he continued in his statement. “We believe they will both make powerful contributions to NGP ETP for many years to come.”

Colt joins NGP from CPP Investments, where he served as a principal and was responsible for developing and executing a late-stage venture and growth equity investment strategy in energy transition. Meanwhile, Liaw was previously a partner with the Kleiner Perkins Green Growth Fund, where she invested in businesses in the energy and logistics sectors.  

Philip Deutch, NGP ETP fund head and partner, also commented, “At the center of our success investing in the energy transition is our investment team that has a differentiated, proactive and disciplined investment approach. We continue to have success working with our portfolio companies to create significant value for our investors.” 

“We know David and Maritza well,” Deutch added, “and they will strengthen and expand NGP ETP, bringing their own impressive experiences and perspectives to those of our existing team.”

Before joining CPP Investments, Colt was the vice president of corporate development and finance for ChargePoint, a global leader in electric vehicle charging. He is a graduate of Reed College with a degree in Economics.

Prior to Kleiner Perkins, Liaw developed utility-scale wind energy projects in Montana and Alberta. She began her career with the Boston Consulting Group and is a graduate of Stanford University and earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School where she was a Baker Scholar.

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