Margarita Aleksieva, currently head of the Wind & Solar business unit, will take over leadership of the Energy Production division at BKW, the company announced Wednesday. The appointment marks a shift in leadership as Philipp Hänggi steps down from the role to focus on strategic tasks related to artificial intelligence.
Aleksieva, who has led the Wind & Solar unit for six years, will also join the BKW Group Executive Board, according to the company statement. The move comes as BKW continues to develop its energy production strategy in Switzerland and Europe, a key area for the utility as the continent transitions to renewable energy sources.
Hänggi, who joined BKW in 2014, previously oversaw the decommissioning of the Mühleberg nuclear power plant and has been responsible for the Energy Production division since 2020. He will now concentrate on strategic initiatives, including those related to nuclear energy and radioactive waste disposal. The leadership change reflects a growing trend within the energy sector of companies reallocating resources towards emerging technologies like AI.
Prior to her role at BKW, Aleksieva held various leadership positions within international electricity companies, including Alpiq. She also serves on the boards of directors of Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG and BelpmoosSolar AG, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM), BKW confirmed. Her experience across multiple energy sectors positions her well to lead BKW’s energy production efforts.
