Ørsted’s Ex Wind CEO Finds New Gig

Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) has appointed Ørsted Wind Power’s former CEO Samuel Leupold as Chairman of Wind Energy.

In this newly created position, Leupold will support the development and implementation of GIG’s global strategy for offshore and onshore wind.

According to GIG, the new chairman will also support the expansion of the organization’s global footprint and will bring his senior industrial background to complement the in-house technical capability to support development activity.

“Wind is undoubtedly now a mainstream energy source, but the industry continues to evolve rapidly, presenting huge opportunities for those who can anticipate and shape the future of the ever-changing market,” said Leupold.

“GIG’s ability to innovate and create cutting edge financial solutions, sets it apart in its ability to thrive in this environment and I’m very excited to be joining their world class team.”

Prior to his position as CEO of Ørsted Wind Power, Leupold held roles at ABB and McKinsey & Company specializing in utilities and industrials.

Under his tenure, Ørsted delivered the industry’s first zero-subsidy offshore wind farm bids in the 2017 German auction.

“Samuel has been a pivotal figure in the rapid development of the offshore wind industry. We are delighted he is bringing that pioneering outlook and his deep understanding of the construction and industrial aspects of wind power to join GIG in our mission to accelerate the transition to a green global economy,” said Mark Dooley, Global Head of GIG.

Ørsted announced at the beginning of 2018 that Leupold had decided to resign from the company to take a break and spend more time with his family after commuting between his home in Switzerland and Ørsted’s offices in Copenhagen and London for a couple of years.