"We are facing the major challenge of successfully mastering climate protection and digital transformation," says Dr. Gunther Kegel, the new ZVEI President, summarizing the challenges of his next three years in office. Kegel takes over from Michael Ziesemer, who served as ZVEI President from 2014 to 2020. Kegel has been a member of the ZVEI Executive Board for 22 years. From 2007 to 2019, he was Chairman of the Board of the ZVEI Automation Association. Kegel is Chairman of the Board at Pepperl+Fuchs.

Mastering global challenges

Kegel sees the electrical industry as a key sector in overcoming global challenges such as climate change: "Only through consistent electrification and digitalization can we successfully master these profound upheavals." This is less about doing without and more about technological innovation: "We need to put the mechanisms of the market economy at the service of ecology in order to achieve the energy transition and initiate a circular economy," says Kegel. Politicians also have a duty: "Climate protection policy is most effective when it specifically promotes innovations that lead to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions in all climate-relevant sectors."

There needs to be a greater focus on implementation, thereby strengthening the production location in the long term - throughout Europe. This is the only way to guarantee Europe's future viability and international competitiveness in an increasingly competitive world: "If Europe wants to assert itself between China and the USA, it must position itself clearly, become faster and secure its technological sovereignty in key areas without acting in a protectionist manner." Europe would then also have the chance to become the leading provider for digital electrification and efficiency.

In order to achieve these goals, well-trained and highly qualified young engineers are needed to tackle the world's pressing problems: "We need to emphasize even more how meaningful an engineering career is in order to get young people excited about STEM professions right from the start. Anyone who decides to study engineering can make an important contribution to decarbonization in all climate-relevant sectors," Kegel is convinced.

The Executive Board of the ZVEI

The newly elected Vice Presidents are: Rada Rodriguez (Schneider Electric), Cedrik Neike (Siemens), Frank Stührenberg (Phoenix Contact). The members of the Executive Committee are: Matthias Altendorf (Endress+Hauser), Dr. Wolfgang Bochtler (Mektec Europe), Daniel Hager (Hager), Udo Possin (ml&s), Thomas Quante (Bosch), Georg Walkenbach (Beurer). You can find the members of the new ZVEI Board of Directors here