Paul Dabbar

Paul Dabbar

Paul Dabbar is an American investment banker and former federal official who served as Under Secretary of Energy for Science and Innovation at the United States Department of Energy during the administration of Donald Trump. He has held senior roles at financial institutions including Goldman Sachs and was involved with national laboratories such as Brookhaven National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Dabbar’s career spans finance, energy policy, and corporate governance, intersecting with institutions like Columbia University, United States Navy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and technology firms.

Early life and education

Dabbar was born in New York City and raised in a family connected to Staten Island. He graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts and later earned a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School while also completing studies at Naval Nuclear Power School following service in the United States Navy. His early background linked him to institutions including United States Naval Academy-related programs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission-adjacent training, and educational networks connected to Yale University and Princeton University alumni circles.

Career in finance and investment

Dabbar joined Goldman Sachs where he worked in the investment banking division focused on energy and infrastructure transactions, engaging with clients such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies. He advised on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and project finance involving entities like Eni, Equinor, NextEra Energy, Siemens Energy, and General Electric. During his tenure he worked alongside teams that interacted with New York Stock Exchange, SEC, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, International Energy Agency, and private equity firms including BlackRock, The Carlyle Group, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and CVC Capital Partners. He developed relationships with corporate legal departments such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins, and Debevoise & Plimpton and with investment banks like J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Department of Energy and public service

In 2019 Dabbar was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate as Under Secretary of Energy for Science and Innovation at the United States Department of Energy. In that role he oversaw programs involving the National Laboratories system, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and Argonne National Laboratory, and engaged with agencies such as the National Nuclear Security Administration, Office of Science (U.S. Department of Energy), and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. He worked on initiatives related to nuclear energy deployment with partners like GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Westinghouse Electric Company, and NuScale Power, and coordinated with federal entities including the Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Commerce, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dabbar represented the department in international forums such as meetings with delegations from Japan, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, South Korea, and Australia and engaged with multilateral organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency and International Energy Agency.

Post-government career and board roles

After leaving federal service Dabbar joined corporate boards and advisory roles in sectors spanning nuclear power, clean energy, technology, and biotech involving companies and institutions such as Exelon, TerraPower, TerraPower, Helion Energy, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, National Venture Capital Association, and various startups connected to Silicon Valley investors and Sequoia Capital-backed ventures. He served on boards and advisory councils linked to Brookhaven National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and academic centers at Columbia University and Stanford University. His post-government work included engagements with investment firms including Canaan Partners, Bain Capital, and TPG Capital, and nonprofit organizations such as American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Institution, and Council on Foreign Relations.

Personal life and awards

Dabbar is married and has family ties to the New York metropolitan area and maintains residences associated with professional work in Washington, D.C. and New York City. His awards and recognitions include acknowledgments from entities like the Department of Energy leadership, service awards tied to the United States Navy, and industry honors from trade groups such as the Nuclear Energy Institute and energy sector associations including American Nuclear Society. He has participated in panels at conferences hosted by World Economic Forum, CERAWeek, Clean Energy Ministerial, and the Gordon Research Conferences.

Category:American investment bankers Category:United States Department of Energy officials Category:Columbia University alumni Category:Brooklyn Law School alumni