John E. Bryson joins BrightSource board of directors

John E. Bryson, Edison International’s former chairman, president and CEO, will be BrightSource Energy’s new chairman of the board of director’s. Bryon holds over 25 years of industry experience in energy generation, transmission, distribution, infrastructure investment and management of energy assets. BrightSource’s founder, Arnold Goldman, who was the previous chair, will continue with the company as chairman emeritus.

Bryson holds an impressive amount of leadership experience, beginning in 1969 when he co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council. He was chairman of the California State Water Resources Control Board from 1976 through 1978 and president of the California Public Utilities Commission from 1979 through 1982.

“John has been at the forefront of environmental and energy issues throughout his career and has a truly global perspective on electric system operations and energy project development,” said John Woolard, president and CEO of BrightSource Energy. “We’re very pleased to add John as Chairman of our board of directors as we prepare for our next stage of domestic and international growth.”

Before Bryson joined Edison International in 1984 as senior VP for legal and financial affairs, he was a partner in the law firm of Morrison and Foerster. 1990 saw Bryson elected as chairman, president and CEO of Edison International, which he dutifully served until 2008, during which he was also chairman and CEO of Southern California Edison.

Bryson’s current projects include director of The Boeing Company, the Walt Disney Company, the W.M. Keck Foundation and The California Endowment and CODA Automotive. He is senior advisor to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., serves as a trustee for the California Institute of Technology and is co-chair of the Pacific Council on International Policy.

Bryson graduated from Stanford University and Yale Law School.