Canadian Solar Inc. announced the appointment of Colin Parkin as a member of its Board of Directors and his promotion to President of Canadian Solar.
Parkin succeeds Yan Zhuang on the Company's Board of Directors and assumes the role of the Company's President from Dr. Shawn Qu, effective immediately. Dr. Qu, the Founder of Canadian Solar, continues to serve as the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Parkin's promotion will allow Dr. Qu to focus on long-term strategy and technology innovation, as the Company continues to expand its investments and manufacturing operations in North America.
In conjunction with Parkin's appointment, the Board also appointed Dylan Marx as Chief Operating Officer.
Together, these leadership changes underscore the Company's commitment to developing internal talent and to maintaining strong collaboration and execution across its global subsidiaries.
Parkin is a 20-year veteran of Canadian Solar and most recently served as President of the Company's subsidiary, e-STORAGE, a utility-scale energy storage manufacturer and service provider. Prior to his role at e-STORAGE, Parkin served as Vice President of Canadian Solar's Energy Group, now known as Recurrent Energy, and previously held roles as General Manager of Canada and Vice President of Engineering and Projects. Before joining Canadian Solar, Parkin founded Integrated Manufacturing Technologies (IMT) and held roles at Photowatt International and Automation Tooling Systems (ATS). Parkin studied Manufacturing Engineering at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario.
Marx joined Canadian Solar in 2013 and most recently served as Corporate Vice President of Operations and President of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for the Company's subsidiary, Recurrent Energy. He brings deep experience across renewable energy, automation, and manufacturing to his new role. Prior to joining Canadian Solar, Marx held senior roles at ATS Automation and BlackBerry. Marx holds a diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Design, and Analysis from Conestoga College and an MBA from the University of Windsor.
Together, Parkin and Marx bring three decades of executive leadership experience with Canadian Solar and its affiliates, and the Board determined that they will provide cohesive leadership across the Company's global operations.
Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar, stated, "As we approach our 25th anniversary in 2026, Canadian Solar enters a pivotal period in its evolution. We are extremely proud of the Company's accomplishments and remain deeply committed to our more than 15,000 employees worldwide. Colin has played a critical role in building e-STORAGE into a global energy storage leader. Together, with their deep institutional knowledge and leadership, Colin and Dylan will help chart and execute Canadian Solar's next phase of growth and drive long-term value."
