Siemens Gamesa Reshuffles Top Management

Posted by Michelle Howard
Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa announced a reshuffle of its top management on Tuesday, part of a bid to advance an ambitious cost-saving plan after a year-long board battle over issues ranging from suppliers to leadership.

David Mesonero, currently managing director of corporate development, strategy and integration, will take over as chief financial officer, the company said, while current CFO Miguel Angel Lopez Borrego becomes non-executive chairman.

The company's main shareholders, Siemens and Iberdrola, agreed the changes on Tuesday.

The two have had a number of disagreements since the merger of Gamesa and Siemens Wind Power made Siemens the company's biggest shareholder last year.

"As we have finished the integration, now we need to step up and focus on the execution of what has been laid out by management in the 2020 programme," Michael Sen, a member of Siemens AG's managing board, told Reuters by telephone.

"I can tell you that we are happy... going to the next stage, which will be more focused on execution. At the end of the day, (the plan is) going in the right direction, it should be to the benefit of all shareholders."

The conflict between the two came to a head at the company's annual general meeting in April when several motions by Iberdrola, previously Gamesa's top shareholder, were dismissed.

Siemens hopes that the changes will smooth the relationship.

Mesonero, the son-in-law of Iberdrola's chairman, led the merger talks between Gamesa and Siemens Wind Power and has since been in charge of the integration of the two companies.

Gamesa also appointed Mark Albenze, chief executive of the service unit, as the new interim CEO of its onshore division, while incumbent Ricardo Chocarro will leave the company, it said.

Lower onshore activity was the main factor behind the company's lower operating profitability in the first half, it said earlier this year.

The company is targeting 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) in cost cuts by 2020 to deal with fierce competition in the wind turbine sector as governments globally slash subsidies for renewable energy.

By Andrés González and Alexander Hübner

Categories: People & Company News Wind Power

Related Stories

Conrad, Empyrean Agree Settlement Framework Over Duyung PSC Interests

Petronas Plans Ramp-Up in Exploration, Production Over Three Years

Seadrill Firms Up Offshore Drilling Workload with Multi-Region Contract Awards

Thailand's Gulf Energy Eyes Long-Term LNG Supply

OceanMight Gets Petronas’ Offshore Construction Job in Malaysia

Vantris Energy Lands Petronas Job on Malaysia’s Offshore Fields

Murphy Oil Appraisal Well Boosts Resource Outlook at Field off Vietnam

Viridien Kicks Off Multi-Client Reimaging Program off Malaysia

Offshore Energy and Boosting the Energy Efficiency of Water Processes

Low Demand, High Supply Keeps Asia LNG Spot Prices Flat

Current News

Conrad, Empyrean Agree Settlement Framework Over Duyung PSC Interests

Northern Offshore’s Energy Emerger Rig Up for Drilling Job off Oman

Petronas Plans Ramp-Up in Exploration, Production Over Three Years

Australia and Timor-Leste Push to Advance Greater Sunrise Gas Field

MODEC, Eld Energy Partnership Targets Low-Carbon FPSO Power

JERA Lifts First LNG Cargo From Barossa Gas Project in Australia

Inpex Moves to Accelerate Indonesia’s Abadi LNG Project

Chevron in Final Talks with Eneos, Glencore on Singapore Assets Sale

Seadrill Firms Up Offshore Drilling Workload with Multi-Region Contract Awards

Turkish Petroleum, Chevron Discuss Joint Oil and Gas Exploration

Subscribe for AOG Digital E‑News

AOG Digital E-News is the subsea industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week

https://accounts.newwavemedia.com