Stepping from the fast-paced world of retail into the energy sector is more than a career move, it is a shift in perspective on how businesses create value. After years operating at the heart of large-scale retail networks, where efficiency, margins, and customer trust are constant priorities, our interviewee brings a pragmatic, execution-driven mindset to a new ecosystem shaped by infrastructure, regulation, and long-term transformation.
Having experienced Helexia first as a client, the transition into the energy sector was not a leap into the unknown, but a natural evolution. It reflects a belief that energy is no longer just a cost line on a balance sheet, it is a strategic lever for performance, resilience, and decarbonisation.
In this conversation, we explore what it means to move between these two worlds, how retail discipline can strengthen energy operations, the cultural strengths that define Helexia, and the challenges of scaling impact in an increasingly complex and fast-moving energy landscape.
What does moving from the retail sector to the energy sector mean from a business perspective?
Moving from retail to the energy sector is a natural step from a business perspective. Retail plays a critical role in society, it ensures access to essential goods, supports local economies, and operates large, complex networks that must be efficient, reliable, and resilient.
Energy is at the core of that model. In retail, it directly impacts margins, operational continuity, and increasingly, brand trust.
Having been a Helexia client, I saw how energy can move beyond being a pure cost and become a strategic lever, one that improves performance while supporting decarbonisation goals.
In the energy sector, that same logic applies at a broader scale. The challenge is to help businesses operate better today, while preparing them for a more sustainable and competitive future.
“Having been a Helexia client, I saw how energy can move beyond being a pure cost and become a strategic lever, one that improves performance while supporting decarbonisation goals.”
Bernard Guntz,
CEO of Helexia Group
What goals has Helexia set for the coming years in terms of equality?
Our ambition is to move from measurement to action. This means continuing to reduce pay gaps at comparable levels of responsibility, increasing female representation in leadership and technical roles, and strengthening internal mobility and promotion pathways across the Group. On a personal note, I am not convinced that everything should be regulated or imposed. However, looking back on more than 20 years of experience, I have clearly observed that obligations and regulatory frameworks often help companies move faster and go further. Upcoming pay transparency requirements, for instance, encourage organisations to measure more rigorously, be more transparent and actively address the under‑representation of women in senior positions. In that sense, regulation can be a real accelerator for change.
From your experience, which gender equality issues does the energy sector need to address most urgently?
Three priorities could be addressed over the longer term: increasing the presence of women in the sector, not just in numbers but by encouraging, at equal profiles, access to technical and management roles, ensuring pay equity over time, and continuing to address the structural biases that can still influence career paths.
What inspires or motivates you personally to promote diversity and inclusion?
In my day‑to‑day work, what truly inspires me is my deep conviction that diversity is a tremendous source of richness. Inclusive environments unlock individual potential and collective performance. When people feel legitimate, supported and able to project themselves into the future, organisations become stronger, more creative and more resilient.
“My first impression was the strength of Helexia’s culture of execution. There is a strong combination of engineering rigor, customer proximity, and a clear focus on measurable impact. ”
Bernard Guntz,
CEO of Helexia Group
And what are the challenges?
The main challenge is managing complexity while maintaining speed and quality of execution.
The energy transition is accelerating, assets are becoming more complex, and regulatory and market conditions vary significantly across countries. At the same time, clients expect simplicity, reliability, and measurable results.
Our challenge is to scale without losing proximity, to grow across markets while preserving engineering rigor, strong customer focus, and measurable impact.
“Our challenge is to scale without losing proximity, to grow across markets while preserving engineering rigor, strong customer focus, and measurable impact. ”
Bernard Guntz,
CEO of Helexia Group
A key priority for us is to ensure that we operate with accurate, structured and reliable data across the organization. Having a company built on perfect data is fundamental to improve decision-making, optimize asset performance, manage risk, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for our clients. Data discipline and digitalization are not support functions, they are strategic enablers.
At the same time, we must remain deeply customer-centric. As we scale, we cannot become distant. Clients must experience clarity, responsiveness and tangible value in every interaction.
Another key challenge, and opportunity, is ensuring profitability while scaling the business. The energy transition requires significant investment, long-term assets, and disciplined capital allocation. Growth only makes sense if it is profitable and sustainable over time.
Being part of the Voltalia Group is a strong advantage in this context. This combination enables us to accelerate growth, invest with confidence, and develop solutions that create value both for our clients and for the Group.
