American Electric Power has made organizational and executive leadership changes to support the company's strategic priorities, according to Julie Sloat, president and chief executive officer. The changes are effective on April 6, 2023. Antonio Smyth, currently senior vice president, Grid Solutions, has been named executive vice president, Grid Solutions and Government Affairs.

Smyth will continue to oversee planning for regulated infrastructure investment and policy related to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Regional Transmission Organizations, with expanded responsibility for federal and Ohio government affairs. He will report to Sloat. AEP's executive vice president of External Affairs position is being eliminated, and the responsibilities have been realigned.

Raja Sundararajan is leaving the organization to pursue other opportunities. Regulatory Services will now report to David Feinberg, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. Communications & Marketing will report to Phillip Ulrich, executive vice president and chief human resources officer.

The Sales, Economic & Business Development organization will report to Peggy Simmons, executive vice president, Utilities. Smyth, 47, has been senior vice president, Grid Solutions, since 2021. In that role, he led the commercial development of new grid resources, including AEP's investments in large-scale generation projects, renewable energy projects, competitive transmission, energy storage, and emerging technologies.

Previously, he was senior vice president of Transmission Ventures, Strategy and Policy, where he led transmission strategy, finance, commercial development activities, and federal regulatory and policy for AEP's $40 billion electric transmission business. He also has held key leadership roles in the Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Finance organizations since joining AEP in 2001. Smyth is chair of the board of directors of the ReliabilityFirst Corporation and a member of the Compensation Committee.

He also serves as a board member of Electric Transmission Texas, LLC, a $4 billion electric infrastructure joint venture between AEP and Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and as a trustee of the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from The Ohio State University and is a veteran of the United States military.