Transformation, Green Energy, and Global Expansion

RWE AG represents industrial change like no other company. For decades, the Essen-based energy provider focused on fossil fuels and nuclear power. Today, however, RWE is causing a global shift with its advocacy for the expansion of renewable energy. And they’ve set themselves an ambitious goal: The company aims to be climate-neutral by 2040. Professor Martin Glaum of the Chair of International Accounting at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and Gori von Hirschhausen, a partner at PwC Deutschland, spoke with Dr. Michael Müller, CFO of RWE AG, in the latest episode of the Leading Corporate Transformation podcast about these changes—changes that come with new challenges, opportunities, an investment program worth billions, a subsequent increased focus on wind and solar power, and a greater presence on the international stage.

In addition to discussing RWE’s strategic refocus, the trio also get into the geopolitical risks surrounding investment decisions and the importance of building an international team within key markets such as the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States. Dr. Müller also discusses his personal career trajectory, from earning his PhD in mechanical engineering to becoming the CFO of a DAX-listed company. He speaks about the qualities that characterize good CFOs in an age defined by transformation: entrepreneurial curiosity, willingness to assume responsibility, and having a knack for active risk management.

The latest episode of the Leading Corporate Transformation Podcast can be found here.