Director of Retail Services | Product Manager | CES Veteran Since 2013
Since joining CES in 2013, Rob Abraham has become the strategic bridge between complex energy data systems and real client needs. As Director of Retail Services and Product Manager, Rob has transformed technical capabilities into practical solutions that help energy companies operate more efficiently and better serve their customers.
A Diverse Path to Energy Excellence
Rob’s journey into energy began through an eclectic mix of experiences that perfectly positioned him for his current roles. From home weatherization energy efficiency programs, to utility operations, to working at a biodiesel startup that was doing wastewater treatment and then extracting grease trap waste and converting that into biodiesel. Rob developed a unique perspective on energy’s impact across different sectors.
“What drew me to CES specifically was the energy markets themselves,” Rob explains. “Theycreate incentives for innovation and they make a real impact on clients. I wanted to be part of creating effective, positive change.”
This diverse background gives Rob something that has been very helpful in the industry: a holistic understanding of energy from production to consumption, from policy to practice.
Mastering Complex Systems for Client Success
Rob’s role requires managing the intricate dance between EDI transactions, billing, payment processing, ISO settlements, and market rules—ensuring every piece fits together seamlessly.
“To get a bill out to a customer, you need to understand how all the puzzle pieces fit together,” Rob notes. “It’s about having the right processes, handling massive amounts of data, and ensuring proper validations are in place at every step.”
Rob’s recent project exemplifies this systems approach: developing custom work queues and rules engines that help client operations teams sort, track, and manage daily work and exceptions more efficiently.
“We’re releasing a new product that will fundamentally improve workflows for our clients,” Rob shares with evident pride. “It’s about creating more efficient ways for operations teams, managers, and analysts to manage their work on a daily basis and change to being as proactive as possible instead of reactive when anomalies arise.”
Crisis Leadership: When Markets Turn Chaotic
One of Rob’s defining moments at CES came during major market disruptions like Winter Storm Uri and Hurricane Harvey. During these crises, CES didn’t just maintain technical operations, they became true partners to clients facing unprecedented challenges.
“When clients are dealing with stressful situations—power outages, market chaos, personal hardship—we work hand-in-hand with them,” Rob reflects. “We have good people and good relationships with our clients, so we’re not just a software and services platform, we’re real people standing behind our services, partnering with our clients.”
After Uri, as ERCOT implemented sweeping rule changes and settlement calculations, CES helped clients navigate the new regulatory landscape while managing the immediate operational challenges.
A Career Built on Curiosity and Growth
What makes Rob’s story compelling is how CES has supported his professional evolution. He’s worn multiple hats across the organization: market entry specialist, compliance expert, wholesale operations, EDI and billing operations, and product management.
“I’ve been fortunate to work in different roles across CES,” Rob says. “Starting in market entry and compliance, I learned how retail and wholesale markets intersect. Then moving into operational roles taught me the day-to-day realities of how complex and vast the industry is. Now in product management, I can think from a systems standpoint—end to end—to create better products for our clients.”
This breadth of experience is invaluable in Rob’s current role, where understanding the complete client journey is essential for building effective solutions.
Energized by Industry Transformation
Rob is particularly excited about the current moment in energy markets. “We really are entering a period with a lot of uncertainty but also tremendous opportunity,” he observes. “As we electrify more sectors and meet challenges around load growth and a changing generation mix, retail customers want more diverse and complex product types. These are challenges we’ll all have to figure out together.”
He sees CES as uniquely positioned for this transformation: “With our combination of market intelligence, wholesale operations, and retail expertise, we can help clients navigate what’s coming. What people have been talking about for the past decade is now actually happening—and accelerating.”
Staying Ahead of the Curve
To maintain his edge in the rapidly evolving industry, Rob is a voracious consumer of energy content. He is well versed and keeps up to date with newsletters, blogs, and podcasts. He has particular appreciation for Jesse Jenkins’ “Shift Key” and David Roberts’ “Volts” podcast.
“This area has exploded with information,” Rob notes. “I try to stay current, but I also value conversations with peers—both within CES and across the industry. Those relationships are invaluable for understanding what’s really happening.”
Advice for Energy Newcomers
Rob’s guidance for those considering energy careers reflects both wisdom and humility: “Be willing to learn—there’s so much that it can be overwhelming. Give yourself grace that you’re not going to learn everything. Everyone in this industry is still learning every day.”
He particularly values the diversity of backgrounds in energy: “One thing that interests me about energy as a career is the diversity of backgrounds people bring—from education to experience. That diversity of perspectives is a real benefit to the industry.”
Life Beyond the Grid
When he’s not optimizing energy workflows, Rob unwinds on the golf course or at the beach. As a huge sports fan, Rob is a dedicated Philadelphia Phillies fan and likes to go to baseball games.
And here’s a fun fact that occasionally creates amusing workplace situations: Rob has an identical twin brother who works just a few blocks from the CES office. “People sometimes run into him and think it’s me,” Rob laughs. “It’s led to some interesting conversations!”
The Rob Abraham Difference
What makes Rob exceptional isn’t just his technical expertise or industry knowledge—it’s his ability to see the human element in every energy transaction. Whether he’s designing systems to help operations teams work more efficiently or supporting clients through market crises, Rob never loses sight of the fact that behind every data point is a person trying to do their job better.
“At CES, we’re not just managing energy data,” Rob concludes. “We’re helping real people solve real problems in an industry that touches everyone’s daily life. That’s what makes this work meaningful.”
Rob Abraham exemplifies CES’s commitment to combining technical excellence with genuine partnership. His journey from diverse energy backgrounds to product leadership demonstrates how CES grows talent and creates solutions that truly serve client needs.
