CEO, 5B

David Griffin

Roles

Role	Organisation	Sources
CEO	5B	RenewEconomy (Thu 4 Dec 2025), RenewEconomy (Thu 4 Dec 2025), RenewEconomy (Wed 21 May 2025), ARENA, RenewEconomy (Thu 28 Mar 2024), RenewEconomy (Tue 12 Dec 2023), RenewEconomy (Thu 16 Nov 2023)
CEO (former) · Founder	SunCable	RenewEconomy (Tue 12 Dec 2023), RenewEconomy (Thu 16 Nov 2023), RenewEconomy (Fri 13 Jan 2023), RenewEconomy (Wed 11 Jan 2023), Startup Daily (Fri 18 Mar 2022), Startup Daily (Mon 14 Mar 2022), @AuManufacturing (Mon 14 Mar 2022), RenewEconomy (Sun 13 Mar 2022), @AuManufacturing (Wed 29 Jul 2020), RenewEconomy (Wed 20 Nov 2019)
Special Advisor (former)	SunCable	RenewEconomy

Coverage

Stories naming David Griffin. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.

Grant ≤$46m

Homegrown pioneer first project funded for Solar Sunshot

ARENA has named solar maker 5B the first recipient of funding under its Solar Sunshot program, with a grant of as much as $46 million to expand Adelaide output of its Maverick system.

ARENA Wed 21 May 2025 5B Australian Government Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)Darren Miller David Griffin

Also RenewEconomy·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Key hire

Grid Connections: Who’s going where in Australia’s energy transition

A rolling roundup of Australian energy-sector job moves, listing dozens of executives, directors and ministers joining or leaving utilities, regulators, developers and industry bodies between May and December 2023.

RenewEconomy Tue 12 Dec 2023 5B ABB ACEN Australia AECOM AEMO AGL Alinta Energy Ampol AMSL Aero ANZ Arup ATCO Australia Aurecon Ausnet Australian Energy Council Australian Energy Market Operator Australian Energy Regulator Australian Institute of Company Directors Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute BP Brighte Canadian Solar CATCH Power CBA CleanCo Clean Energy Council ClearVue Technologies ClimateWorks CS Energy CSIRO Deloitte Delta Group Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water eBay Australia Eku Energy Electric Vehicle Council Energy Australia EnergyCo Energy Efficiency Council Energy Queensland Energy Vault Equinor Essential Services Commission ETSI Federal Government Fluence Fortescue Fortescue Energy Fortescue Future Industries Fotowatio Renewable Ventures Australia (FRV)Gaw Capital Partners GE Genex GMR Energy Horizon Power Hydrostor Hydro Tasmania Hysata Incitec Pivot Fertilisers Infigen Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Jemena Jet Charge Lochard Energy Macquarie Group Monash University Mott Macdonald Neom North Harbour Clean Energy OX2 Australia Pacific Energy Pacific Hydro Australia Pollination Group Queensland Hydro RayGen Redflow Rewiring Australia SEA Electric Shell Energy Australia SMA Smart Energy Council Snowy Hydro Squadron Energy State Electricity Commission SunCable SunDrive SwitchDin Tilt TotalEnergies Total Eren Vast WA Government Western Power Windlab Wirsol Energy Zen Energy Dr Alan Finkel AC Andrew Moore Anthony Fowler Claire O'Neill Craig Francis Damien Nicks David Griffin David Smales Dino Otranto Dr Dr Larry Marshall Fiona Hick Geoff Dutaillis Ivor Frischknecht Dr Larry Marshall Malcolm Turnbull Mark Branson Marshall D. (Mark) Smith Martin Deil Max York Michael Hipwood Mitesh Patel Oliver Yates Dr Patrick McCarthy Reece Whitby Renae Gasmier Rob Grant Sara Taylor Siobhan Lyndon Stephanie Unwin Steve Wilson Tim Washington

Key hire

Former Sun Cable CEO David Griffin takes up reins at solar innovator 5B

5B, a New South Wales solar technology firm, has hired Sun Cable's co-founder and ex-CEO David Griffin as its new chief executive, succeeding co-founder Chris McGrath.

RenewEconomy Thu 16 Nov 2023 5B FTI Consulting Grok Ventures Liontown Resources Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners SunCable Zenith Energy Dr Andrew Forrest Chris McGrath David Griffin Dr Fraser Thompson Mac Thompson Mike Cannon-Brooks

Exit / M&A

Sun Cable sheds dozens of staff, founders step aside, as new owners prepare to take control

Sun Cable cuts scores of jobs and its three founders step back from executive roles as buyers Grok Ventures and Quinbrook finalise the takeover agreed in May.

RenewEconomy Tue 4 Jul 2023 FTI Consulting Grok Ventures Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners SunCable Dr Andrew Forrest David Griffin Dr Fraser Thompson Mac Thompson Mike Cannon-Brookes

Also RenewEconomy

News

World’s biggest solar and battery project hangs in balance as Sun Cable enters administration

Solar developer Sun Cable has entered voluntary administration after its two major backers failed to agree on funding, with FTI Consulting appointed and a recapitalisation or sale flagged as likely.

RenewEconomy Wed 11 Jan 2023 FTI Consulting SunCable Dr Andrew Forrest Christopher Hill David Griffin David McGrath John Park Mike Cannon-Brookes

2 deals

This week on SUDS, the Startup Daily TV podcast: UK jail plan for tech execs, Sun Cable powers up, advice for founders, taxing NFTs

Startup Daily's weekly SUDS podcast wrap: UK laws threatening jail for tech executives, interviews with founders of SpaceDraft, Flowingly and Book An Artist, Sun Cable's solar export ambitions, and NFT tax guidance.

Startup Daily Fri 18 Mar 2022 SunCable Airtasker ausbiz Book An Artist SpaceDraft Pty Ltd Startup Daily William Buck Dr Andrew Forrest Mike Cannon-Brookes David Griffin Eliot Hastie Gaurav Kawar Jon Kalaugher Lucy Cooke Simon Thomsen Tim Fung

Series B $210m

Cannon-Brookes, Forrest pour more money into world's biggest solar and battery project

Sun Cable has raised A$210 million in Series B funding from existing shareholders, led by Mike Cannon-Brookes' Grok Ventures and Andrew Forrest's Squadron Energy, for its giant solar, battery and subsea cable project.

RenewEconomy Sun 13 Mar 2022 SunCable AGL CWP Global Grok Ventures Squadron Energy Dr Andrew Forrest David Griffin Dr Fraser Thompson Mac Thompson Mike Cannon-Brookes

Also Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Unnamed stage ~$50m

Sun Cable electricity export gets major project status

Canberra grants Major Project Status to Sun Cable's planned Australia-Singapore electricity link; the article also recalls an oversubscribed roughly $50 million capital raise backed by Forrest and Cannon-Brookes.

@AuManufacturing Wed 29 Jul 2020 SunCable the federal government Mike Cannon-Brookes Twiggy Forrest David Griffin Karen Andrews

Also RenewEconomy·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing

Unnamed stage

Cannon-Brookes, “Twiggy” Forrest lead capital raise for world’s biggest solar project

Sun Cable closed an oversubscribed first capital round, co-led by Grok Ventures and Squadron Energy, for its $25 billion plan linking a giant Northern Territory solar farm to Singapore via undersea cable.

RenewEconomy Wed 20 Nov 2019 SunCable Beyond Zero Emissions Fortescue PwC Grok Ventures Squadron Energy Dr Andrew Forrest David Griffin Eytan Lenko Mike Cannon-Brookes

Also Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·Startup Daily·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing

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