Olivier Blum
EVP Energy Management at Schneider Electric
While some might consider over 30 years with one company as career stagnation, nothing could be further from the truth for Olivier Blum.
For Olivier, who is approaching 32 years of employment at Schneider Electric, the longevity has been driven by varied roles across different geographies, strategic opportunities – and passion for the sustainability vision that is the beating heart of Schneider.
Few global companies come close to matching this France-headquartered energy management and industrial automation company’s sustainability focus and results. Today, Schneider has gained a reputation as The Most Sustainable Company in the World (TIME and Statista), thanks to its commitment to driving Electricity 4.0, a strategy for a more electric and more digital world, helping customers achieve their decarbonisation goals.
But as Olivier goes on to say, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5C, there must be more action from governments and regulators to balance societal needs with environmental impact, especially with the development of Artificial Intelligence and other technological advancements.
Olivier’s Journey at Schneider Electric
As the company’s EVP of Energy Management, Olivier has been involved at almost every step of Schneider’s sustainability journey.
He has taken up a range of positions in the company all around the world, from sales and marketing to strategy and HR, and finally to his current role in Energy Management.
He says: “I am fortunate to hold a unique position in the company, having gained diverse experience through various roles across different geographies.
“Our energy management business, which represents 79% of Schneider Electric’s turnover, is where we gather the portfolio of activities that help our customers to go through their decarbonisation journey.”
Olivier adds: “I've been engaged in the sustainability journey of Schneider since almost day one, 20 years ago, when we created our first strategy.
“I was working at that time for the chairman and CEO of Schneider as a chief of staff in charge of the first project.”
He says the range of roles aided his understanding of sustainability, including when he was Chief HR Officer – which “has given me another angle on ESG, more on the social side”.
He adds: “The fact that I had this combination of being in sales, marketing, product development, then at one point took over a smaller business unit globally, then HR, then chief strategy and sustainability – this combination of experience gives me a different view on my current role and the value of energy management to our customer, and of course to Schneider.”
The excitement is sustainable
When asked what excites him about the job, Olivier ties it in tightly to the company’s commitment to sustainability and its ability to drive systemic change.
He says: “Why I've been in the company for 30 years is related to your question because this company has developed a unique positioning in the market.
“We are very committed to being a sustainable company and very committed to all the pillars of ESG. But, since we are a digital partner for efficiency and sustainability, we are also committed to the solutions for our customers.”
He adds: “When you step back and say: ‘The company is investing one billion euros in R&D every year to develop the portfolio, the solutions and the technologies that will help the company to achieve its net zero goal and eventually have a positive impact at scale.
“That's quite exciting!”
Olivier is also invigorated every day by Schneider’s international identity.
“Schneider has always been committed to being a truly international company with a very, very diverse pool of talent.
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