Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has appointed Manish Kumar as the new Executive Vice President of Digital Energy, effective October 1, 2022.
The Digital Energy business provides energy and automation solutions to deliver a sustainable and efficient future for customers. Power digitalization is foundational to future-ready energy management. It makes the invisible visible, turning data into business value to enable better decision-making and intelligent automation. This improves reliability, quality, efficiency, and a path to sustainability for critical infrastructures, critical facilities, and buildings.
In his new role, Kumar will be responsible for driving innovation in the Digital Energy solutions to help customers digitize and decarbonize their operations. Kumar will accelerate the digitalization of power networks and systems through EcoStruxure, an IoT-enabled architecture and platform that embraces advancements in IoT, mobility, sensing, cloud, analytics, and cybersecurity, to meet the growing market demand.
Kumar steps into this new role at a critical time for the sector as an estimated 40% of global CO2 emissions come from buildings, while stringent regulations for sustainable operations are on the rise. Approximately 50% of today’s buildings will require energy efficient retrofitting by 2050 – and new buildings will need to be Net Zero starting in 2030.
With his wealth of experience in digital, renewable, building and power automation, Kumar is well positioned to advance the business with developments in innovative solutions that will digitize and decarbonize our customers’ operations.
Kumar remarked, “Businesses and governments around the world face the increasingly urgent need to decarbonize and drive energy efficiency to tackle climate change and energy security. I’m honored by the opportunity to lead Schneider’s talented and passionate team – and to continually push envelope on what’s possible in enabling the digitalization of power & buildings of the future.”
Joining Schneider Electric in 2008, he has held an array of positions, including leading the Strategy, Solar and Building businesses in France, USA and Canada. In his most recent role, he led the global strategy and sustainability for Schneider’s Energy Management Business.
Prior to joining Schneider Electric, Kumar worked as a software engineer and business consultant for Infosys in both India and California. He earned his MBA from HEC Paris, Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School, and his Bachelor of Engineering from Thapar Institute of engineering, India.
