Green Economy Manager, State of New Mexico
Brendan Miller was still at MIT Sloan when New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson declared his state to be “The Clean Energy State.” Six years later Miller is leading this charge as the state’s Green Economy Manager. He is applying his knowledge of strategy, system dynamics and entrepreneurship to establish New Mexico as a major center of the North American solar industry and a leader in renewable energy exports.
Miller now also has a broader role in green development, as he was recently named Director of the Office of Science and Technology at the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
As Miller forges New Mexico’s strategy for green economic development, the state’s green economy report is the foundation of his ongoing work. He served as the main writer and coordinator for this report, which provides an overview of policies and strategies to leverage the state’s natural and economic assets in order to create and sustain green jobs. In January 2010 Governor Richardson issued an executive order to push forward this agenda. “I am outlining a clear path to ensure our state capitalizes economically and environmentally on our abundant renewable resources and assets,” says Richardson.
Miller uses a systems approach to look at sustainability and clean technology economic development. “How do we design a civilization that is sustainable and what are the policies needed?” he asks.
New Mexico’s population density is only 16 people per square mile, but it is rich in energy natural resources and advanced research. Miller plans to leverage this to develop New Mexico’s competitive advantages to grow and recruit renewable energy developers and manufacturers.
With a dual degree from MIT Sloan and the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government and experience representing students at MIT Sloan as a member of the student senate, Miller is well prepared to navigate the relationship between policy and business. “The rigor and analysis MIT Sloan built into its core curriculum and the focus on entrepreneurship is helping me design policies that will promote commercialization of renewable technologies and increase the base of experienced entrepreneurs across the state,” he says. “All the principles of strategy I learned that applied to corporations and businesses also can be applied to government and states.”
© 2013 MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
