Born in Zambia and educated in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Norway and the UK, he obtained a BEng degree in Electrical Machines and Power Systems from the University of Zambia in 1981, a postgraduate diploma in Electric Power Distribution Systems from the Norwegian Institute of Technology between 1983 and 1984. His MSc in Electric Power Transmission and Distribution and PhD in Power System Economics were obtained from UMIST, which is now part of the University of Manchester, in 1987 and 2000 respectively. Prior to his retirement in 2020, he was a Professor of Sustainable Energy and Electrical Energy Power Systems at the University of Manchester, UK. Prior to joining the University of Manchester in 2002, he spent over 15 years in the electric utility industry in Zambia. His industrial experience includes a wide range of technical posts at Copperbelt Power Company, now Copperbelt Energy Corporation and ZESCO, the Zambian National Utility. The posts at the national utility included Transmission Manager and Director of Engineering Development. He was worked extensively in renewable energy and co-founded the Zambia Renewable Energy Association and is the Director the Education Partnerships in Africa project in Zambia. He is also subject matter expert supporting creation of World Bank funded African Centres of Excellence in Renewable Energy. He has also supported curriculum development for the Pan African University Centre of excellence in Water and Renewable Energy including Climate Change (PAUWES) supported by GIZ in Algeria and redevelopment of the MSc programme in Renewable Energy at the University of Zimbabwe. Prof Mutale is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology, UK) and EIZ (The Engineering Institution of Zambia) and Senior Member of IEEE (USA).