Schneider Electric has announced the appointment of Kelly Becker as Zone President UK & Ireland. Becker will take over the role on January 1st, 2021 from Mike Hughes, who will move to a new global position within Schneider, overseeing Digital Customer Experience, Digital Marketing, and Global Sales Operations.
Based in London, Becker will play a pivotal role in steering the next phase of strategy and growth for Schneider Electric in the two countries. She will report to Barbara Frei, Executive Vice President of Europe Operations.
Commenting on the appointment, Frei reiterated Schneider Electric’s commitment to delivering smart technology and digital solutions that enable sustainable business outcomes for customers and contribute to its own goal to become carbon neutral by 2025.
“The UK & Ireland are important markets with huge opportunities for Schneider Electric,” Frei said. “Having worked closely with Kelly over the past couple of years, I know that she has the experience, professionalism, in-depth knowledge, and passion required to drive our strategy and operational success.”
Originally from the USA, Becker joined Schneider in 2011 and has held a range of posts, including VP of Power Solutions and Director of Strategy and Business Development North America. Most recently, she was Country President for Ireland overseeing considerable growth driven by the expansion of solutions and services catering to the country’s sprawling data centre market. Her ability to bring a new perspective and build strong connections with major global industry players was pivotal to the success.
Becker said: “I am thrilled at the opportunity to lead the 4,300-strong UK & Ireland team at a time of huge changes and transformation, nationally and globally. I thrive on transformative change, and my priority is to build on our achievements in sustainability and tackling climate change by broadening our diversity of thinking, including bringing in non-engineering talent to deliver innovative real-world impact for our clients and partners.”
Ireland continues to be an important growth engine for the wider zone, with further expansion due in the country’s data centre market alongside expansion in utilities, life sciences and residential infrastructure. Becker’s appointment ensures that Ireland remains a pivotal part of the wider plans for the UK & Ireland and benefits from the full strength of Schneider business. Becker’s existing relationships with many strategic accounts based in Ireland and the internal teams will play a large part in the future of the UK&I business.
Mike Hughes said: “I’m extremely confident in passing the reigns to someone as driven and capable as Kelly, to continue building on the strength and successes of Schneider’s existing offering in the UK & Ireland. As market expectations shift and customer experience become the centrepiece of growth for the organisation, new thinking and approaches are needed. I look forward to bringing my vision and experience to my new role to ensure we continue meeting our customers’ expectations.”
Schneider Electric has roots in the UK & Ireland stretching back to the 1930s and has invested heavily in the zone, most recently by acquiring Invensys and Aveva.
A new Country President for Ireland, who will report to Becker, will be appointed in the coming months.