Schneider Electric: a promising business outlook for 2024

With 2023 having been a very fruitful year for Schneider Electric, as the company managed to finalise several complex projects, Country General Manager Lucian Enaru is now focusing on finding the most sustainable ways to meet businesses’ growing energy needs as they adopt more digital solutions.

By Anda Sebesi

What were the biggest challenges Schneider Electric faced in 2023?

2023 was yet another year of great uncertainty. The geopolitical situation in the whole world became more unstable, and this was reflected in the global economy, so we all found ourselves having to manage steep inflation as well as supply chain disruptions. Locally, the challenges we are facing are related to the speed of implementation for large and complex projects, many of which are financed through European funds. If we were to choose our priorities better in the future and follow through on such important projects, we would be able to achieve much more as a country.

What were the most important projects the company carried out in 2023?

Our most complex projects take quite a long time to complete, with many being implemented across several years. We are very proud to have finalised several important projects this year, such as the sustainable public transport project in Vaslui, as well as of our contribution to the most sustainable IKEA centre in the South-East region, which opened this summer in Timisoara, and our continuous cooperation with eMAG, this time with a project in Budapest. We also initiated other important projects, so from this perspective, 2024 is looking good. We will have a lot to do.

What is the current state of the energy industry and what changes should we expect see in the coming years, including in terms of digitalization?

I think the electrical power segment is becoming increasingly important for economies in general, as we are all trying to become more sustainable, both at work and at home. Furthermore, the power segment supports the digital transformation of all companies—without electricity, without data centre digitalization, we would not be able to progress. Our main challenge today is to find ways to supply that much-needed energy in reliable and sustainable ways, on the one hand, and on the other, to manage consumption as best as we can—that is, to make sure we’re using the energy responsibly and effectively.

How important are ESG and sustainability criteria for Schneider Electric?

ESG has been very important to us for years now, and that is reflected in our constant rankings as one of the most sustainable companies in the world. It’s now becoming more and more important to our clients and their suppliers. We are happy to say that we are here to help. We have the expertise to advise and provide products, services, and solutions to all companies that are on the path to meeting new ESG requirements.

What were 2023’s main challenges from a management point of view?

The biggest obstacles in 2023 were faced by our colleagues in HR, who had to work hard to redefine the way we cooperate as a team. After a three-year period of profound disruption, we needed to see how we could adapt to the way the world had changed, to the way we, as individuals, had changed. I tried to support them as much as I could by providing the much-needed leadership, as the organisational culture and people’s wellbeing are key to solid business performance in any industry.

What is the outlook for the energy industry in 2024?

As I mentioned before, considering the fact that ESG requirements are being taken very seriously by an increasing number of players on the market, we believe that 2024 is going to be a good year for us. We are happy to provide solutions that help companies reduce their operational costs and work more efficiently, while also meeting important ESG criteria. It is a win-win situation in which we are glad to take part.

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