Walder says that he is looking forward to expanding Schneider’s range of intelligent equipment. “By focusing on customer experience and aggressively developing our services organisation, I believe we can start a new exciting chapter for Schneider Electric and our customers,” he declares.

Walder adds that one of the biggest challenges for UK industry is that many organisations are being held back by out-dated factories and infrastructure. “This doesn’t enable the kind of visibility and control that is required to optimise energy use and overall business performance. Schneider Electric is perfectly placed to address this pain point, offering migration paths to new technologies. It’s what sets them apart from traditional automation competitors.”

In Walder’s previous role as the head of product businesses and marketing at Rockwell Automation, he guided the company through a period of growth above 50%. As managing director of ABB Robotics, he shaped the business into a leader in terms of market share. For a while, he was also managing director of a company called Global Sense which developed a condition and energy monitoring system using wireless and mobile phone technologies.  

Earlier this year, Tanuja Randery was appointed president of Schneider’s UK & Ireland operation. She joined from BT Global Services where she was president for strategy, marketing and transformation.