BKW Smart Mobility: Fabian Kallen succeeds Peter Arnet

Peter, when you look back on your time as Managing Director: which moments particularly stand out in your memory?

A particularly formative moment was the founding of the first electromobility company in Switzerland, as well as the move to BKW in 2021 – in the middle of the COVID period. The integration was challenging, but thanks to great commitment on both sides and solidarity, it was successful.

What has personally shaped you the most in your role as Managing Director of BKW Smart Mobility?

To succeed as a company in a young and volatile market such as electromobility for over 16 years, creativity, determination and a strong team are needed. This is exactly the strength that the BKW Smart Mobility team has demonstrated.

What is particularly important to you in the handover to Fabian?

A smooth transition with a successor who understands the culture and the employees and carries forward the success of BKW Smart Mobility. I gave him one piece of advice in particular: he should take time for strategically important decisions.

What developments in electromobility have surprised you?

The rapid technological development – for example in batteries and charging infrastructure – as well as the swift progress in electric commercial vehicles. It is particularly striking that the transport and logistics sector has, in many areas, positioned itself more quickly and decisively for the transition to electromobility than the traditional automotive industry. At the same time, it is clear how stubbornly combustion engines are being clung to. There is no explicit date for a ban on new petrol and diesel engines, and sales figures for electric vehicles are stagnating.

What are the major topics in electromobility at the moment?

The growing system complexity and ever-higher charging capacities are important topics for many customers. This is precisely where BKW has its greatest strength: integrated end-to-end solutions. BKW is excellently positioned along the entire value chain – from grid infrastructure to planning and operation through to electricity marketing. We are therefore well positioned for the future.

Which technological or market trends will have the greatest impact on electromobility in the coming years?

From a technological perspective, the main factors will be more efficient vehicles with increasing range, as well as progress in the energy efficiency of charging infrastructure. On the market side, increasingly stringent CO₂ requirements are acting as a key driver.

What do you wish for the future of the company – and for electromobility as a whole?

I wish BKW Smart Mobility and electromobility a successful future – and that the Swiss population increasingly recognises the advantages of electromobility!

Fabian, you have been working in electromobility for 14 years now, 5 of them at BKW Smart Mobility as Deputy Managing Director. Now you are taking over as Managing Director. How do you feel as you start your new role?

I am starting with great gratitude, respect and motivation. Gratitude for the trust, respect for the responsibility and motivation to provide direction together and actively tackle challenges. My aim is to be present and to listen – in an environment where collaboration, openness and dialogue are practised. I would like to foster a culture in which performance and humanity count equally and different perspectives are included.

Where will you build on things from a business perspective?

Building on the basis laid by my predecessor, I would like to work with the team to strengthen what has proven successful and create space for new ideas. In doing so, I will build on the clear strategic direction and the holistic view of electromobility – particularly the connection between charging infrastructure, energy supply, grid integration and operations. This remains a central element of our positioning. I will set new priorities in the integration of electromobility into holistic energy and infrastructure solutions, and therefore in stronger collaboration across different business areas. In addition, I would like to further simplify our solutions with a consistent focus on customer and partner needs.

Which topics in electromobility are a short-term priority for you?

In the short term, my focus is on the very active market demand. The key is to provide guidance, reduce complexity and show how mobility, energy and infrastructure can work together effectively. Our task is to develop suitable, integrated end-to-end solutions that are technically, economically and sustainably viable in the long term.

How can electromobility develop meaningfully in the long term?

For many customers, electromobility is a genuine transformation process. Too often it is still reduced to individual components – such as the vehicle or the charging station. In reality, however, success only comes from the interplay of charging infrastructure, energy supply, grid integration, load management and digital control.

Our aim is to reduce this complexity for our customers. This is where our integrated end-to-end solutions come in: from analysing energy requirements and planning the infrastructure through to day-to-day operation and optimisation. We do not see electromobility as an isolated investment, but as part of a comprehensive energy and sustainability strategy.

Which developments should companies already be taking seriously today, even if they still seem ‘distant’?

Companies should start addressing the role of electromobility in the future energy system at an early stage. This includes developments such as bidirectional charging as well as new regulatory requirements for grid integration and flexibility.

Increasing digitalisation and data-based control of charging infrastructure will also become more important. Anyone who views electromobility in isolation today risks facing structural adjustments in just a few years’ time. It is therefore crucial to think about electromobility systemically and plan strategically today. From the perspective of BKW Smart Mobility, that is precisely our ambition: to advise customers at an early stage, interpret developments and create solutions that are viable not only for today, but also for tomorrow.

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