Source: energate

The 50-year-old administrative scientist is to succeed Andreas Kuhlmann, who is stepping down as chairman of Dena's executive board in mid-June. "I am very pleased that in Michael Schäfer we have been able to recruit a proven expert in energy and climate policy for this special management role," said Stefan Wenzel, parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, who is also chairman of Dena's supervisory board. Dena, which now has around 500 employees, has a key role to play "in driving forward practical solutions for a climate-neutral economy and society".

Schäfer was most recently project manager for policy issues at the think tank Agora Energiewende. Before that, he worked in the climate and energy policy department of the environmental organisation WWF Germany. From 2006 to 2016, he was a member of the Berlin House of Representatives, where he was the energy policy spokesman for the Green parliamentary group. For a time, he was also deputy faction leader. Before becoming a member of parliament, he worked for three years as the office manager of Reinhard Bütikofer, the federal chairman of the Greens.

"Positioned with a lot of competence and experience"

Dena also announced that the second managing director, Kristina Haverkamp, will remain on board. Her contract has been extended. With these personnel decisions, Dena is "well positioned for the coming years and tasks with a great deal of competence and experience", said supervisory board chairman Wenzel. As a vehicle of the German government, Dena is responsible for numerous advisory, information and qualification tasks as well as pilot projects in the field of energy transition and climate protection.

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