Texas Central (Dallas-Houston rail)
Oct 07, 2020 11:45 AM
Carlos Aguilar
Texas Central (Dallas-Houston rail)

Carlos F. Aguilar, PhD, serves as the President and CEO of Texas Central, a private, Texas-based company developing a high-speed passenger train that will connect North Texas and Houston.

Dr. Aguilar brings the experience overseeing large-scale infrastructure projects that will be critical as Texas Central moves into the planning and building phases. He has more than 30 years’ understanding in combining multiparty negotiations and complex financing structures with the on-the-ground realities of engineering, construction management and safety.

Before joining Texas Central, Dr. Aguilar served as a senior vice president at the global engineering company CH2M Hill, where he sat on its Management Committee and was chairman of the CCPP Project Consortium for the Ichthys LNG Facility.

He formerly was president of BrightSource Construction Management and senior vice president at BrightSource Energy, a developer of large-scale solar thermal power plants. Dr. Aguilar led the development, engineering, procurement and construction of the company’s portfolio of projects, including the development and construction of Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, the largest solar thermal plant in the world.

Dr. Aguilar spent 12 years with Bechtel Corp., where he held several leadership roles. His successes included overseeing the initial financing of the first five-year program for the $30 billion, 30-year project to upgrade the London Underground’s Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern Lines.

Dr. Aguilar received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University, a Master of Science degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Technological Economics from the University of Stirling in Scotland.

In addition to his role at Texas Central, Dr. Aguilar maintains a strong personal interest in sustainable development for the world’s poorest people, and serves on the board of Counterpart International, a global development organization.