New Managing Director for STEAG Fernwärme

Essen. With effect from 1 January 2021, industrial engineer Matthias Ohl (40) has taken up the post of Technical Director at STEAG Fernwärme GmbH, an Essen-based subsidiary of the energy company STEAG.

“STEAG Fernwärme is remarkably customer-focused. That provides an ideal breeding ground for new business models,” Matthias Ohl remarks in explaining what motivated him to take on a new career challenge at STEAG. Prior to his move to Essen, Matthias Ohl spent five years as Head of Power & District Heating Generation at WSW Energie und Wasser AG in Wuppertal.

At STEAG Fernwärme, he succeeds Markus Manderfeld (57), who cites personal reasons for his decision not to extend his contract, which still runs until the end of March 2021.

Continuing to shape the energy transition
“I have received a very warm welcome at STEAG, and during the first two weeks in my new job I have already met a large number of motivated colleagues at Fernwärme, although digitally in most cases,” says Matthias Ohl, reflecting on his impression gained over the first two weeks. Together with his management colleague Michael Straus, Matthias Ohl is now working on continuing to lead STEAG Fernwärme successfully through the transformation of the industry determined by the three key issues of decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization.

The new Technical Director is in no doubt that this will succeed: “When it comes to district heating, STEAG is without question one of the top addresses in Germany.” What will be important, he stresses, is striking a balance between a stable core business on the one hand and the development and introduction of new business models and technical solutions on the other.