The fourth edition of our fall reception was also a first. For the first time, we hosted the event as H/Advisors Gauly. Among the 200 guests at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt were representatives from business, politics, and the media, as well as H/Advisors Co-CEOs Arielle Schwab and Neil Bennett and many other international guests.
The guest of honor for the evening was Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE. In a conversation with Katharine Spence, a partner at H/Advisors in London and a longtime TV news correspondent, he shared his perspectives on energy policy, corporate strategy, leadership, and other pressing issues.
Among other things, here’s what he believes is crucial:
- Planning for the Unpredictable: In an environment where the long-term development of external conditions is increasingly difficult to predict and crises occur at ever shorter intervals, his focus is on building the company to be resilient enough to remain capable of acting and successful even in extreme scenarios of any kind.
- Pragmatism in Action: Krebber believes that the energy system of the future will be largely based on renewable energy. The rapid expansion of wind and solar power underscores this development. At the same time, ensuring that the system remains affordable and reliable requires robust grids, energy storage, and flexible generation capacity. The transformation, he stressed, should be guided by the realities of the energy system rather than ideological debates.
- Clarity in communication: Krebber emphasized the importance of transparency and honesty, especially when dealing with complex or difficult topics. RWE’s transformation has shown how important it is to provide guidance and win people over to the common cause.
Following the panel discussion, guests had the opportunity to continue the conversation, deepen existing connections, make new ones, and enjoy the special atmosphere of the evening.
(All photos by martinjoppen.de)