Southern Electric International has named J. William “Bill” Holden as the company’s vice president for operations and development in Latin America and the Caribbean, Southern Electric President Tom Boren announced today.

Holden, 35, previously served as Southern Electric’s vice president for business development in Asia and the Pacific Rim. He succeeds Robert G. Dawson, who was named president of Southern Communications Services, another subsidiary of Southern Electric’s parent firm, The Southern Company.

In his new position, Holden will direct the operations of Freeport Power Company on the Island of Grand Bahama, EDELNOR, the electric utility serving northern Chile, Hidroelectrica Alicura, a 1,000-megawatt power station in Argentina, and the electric generation plants of Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, Holden will be responsible for Southern Electric’s business development activities in the region. He also will remain involved with Southern Electric’s Tarahan power project in Indonesia.

Holden will be based at Southern Electric’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta and will report to Richard J. Pershing, senior vice president - international. Southern Electric’s Asia and Pacific Rim business development will report to Pershing until a successor to Holden is named.

“The operations in Latin America and the Caribbean represent a major segment of Southern Electric’s investments,” Boren said. “Bill Holden’s background in business development and corporate finance in the utility business will be vital to ensuring our continued success in the Latin American and Caribbean regions.”

Holden joined The Southern Company in 1985 as a financial analyst in the corporate finance department of Southern Company Services. He became a project development manager for Southern Electric in 1987 and returned to Southern Company Services two years later as senior financial analyst. He became manager of financial analysis in 1989 and was named director ofcorporate finance in 1992. He returned to Southern Electric in 1993 when he was named vice president for business development in Asia and the Pacific Rim.

Holden earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Vanderbilt University in 1983 and an MBA in finance from Emory University in 1985.

Southern Electric International develops, builds, owns, and operates power production and delivery facilities and provides a broad range of technical services to utilities and industrial companies in the U.S. and international markets.

The Southern Company (NYSE: S0) is also the parent firm of five electric utilities: Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power, and Savannah Electric. Other subsidiaries include Southern Nuclear and Southern Development and Investment Group. Together, these companies make up one of the largest electric utility groups in the United States.