Wind turbine OEM Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has appointed Jochen Eickholt, a member of the executive board at Siemens Energy, as its chief executive, replacing Andreas Nauen, who was appointed chief executive only 18 months ago
Mr Eickholt will take the reins at Siemens Gamesa on 1 March 2022. Mr Nauen replaced the company’s former chief executive Markus Tacke in June 2020. Like his successor, Mr Tacke also wrestled with problems at the company’s onshore business unit.
At the time that Mr Nauen was appointed as chief executive, Siemens Gamesa said it expected the new chief executive “to stabilise the onshore area quickly.” That has not happened, as Siemens Gamesa – and other wind turbine manufacturers – have continued to wrestle with unprecedented cost pressures and the effects of inflation. Hence Mr Nauen’s departure.
In a 2 February 2022 statement, Siemens Gamesa chairman Miguel Angel López said, “Siemens Gamesa is experiencing significant challenges in its onshore business in a very difficult market. We have appointed an executive with a strong track record managing complex situations and successfully turning around underperforming businesses.
“The board would like to thank Mr Nauen for his considerable efforts as chief executive as well as for his previous leadership of the company’s offshore business, which continues to lead the global market.”
In the statement, Siemens Gamesa said that, despite its current challenges, the board of directors remains convinced by the long-term prospects and value creation potential of the company.
“With an order backlog of more than €33Bn (US$37Bn), leadership in the fast-growing offshore market and a strong service business, the company is well positioned for future success,” the statement said. “The priority remains to turnaround the onshore unit,” the statement concluded.
Jochen Eickholt joined the Siemens Energy executive board in January 2020. He was responsible for the power generation and industrial applications businesses as well the Asia-Pacific region and China. During a career with Siemens spanning more than 20 years, Mr Eickholt has held a number of senior management positions including chief executive officer of Siemens Mobility and chairman and managing partner of the Siemens Portfolio Companies.
Mr Eickholt studied electrical engineering at the RWTH Aachen in Germany and at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London. After receiving his engineering degree, he went on to earn his doctorate at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology.
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