Expertise Infrastructure and Energy

Recruitment firm specializing in energy and energy transition.
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Energy recruitment and energy transition

Independent renewable energy producers, battery storage operators, energy services companies, and energy efficiency platforms: Haussmann Executive Search recruits senior executives and professionals driving the energy transition in France and internationally.

We support both industrial players and financial investors across all functions, from executive leadership and profit center directors to regional managers and specialist experts.

Recruiting a solar development director, a BESS project director, an ESCO CEO, or a CEE (energy savings certificates) operator requires understanding very different business models, which share a common regulatory framework but rely on distinct skill sets. Utility-scale development is assessed through land control and permitting expertise; storage through use-case modelling and access to system services; ESCOs through their ability to manage long-term energy performance risk.

Our sector specialization allows us to structure each assignment with a high level of precision.

 

The organizations we support

We work with the full energy ecosystem.

On the industrial side, we support:

  • Independent Power Producers (IPPs)
  • Battery storage developers and operators
  • Energy Service Companies (ESCOs)
  • CEE (Energy Savings Certificates) delegated operators
  • Self-consumption installers and operators
  • Engineering firms and carbon audit / energy assessment providers

On the financial side, we work with:

  • Infrastructure and energy investment funds (equity and debt)
  • Public and semi-public institutions co-investing alongside operators
  • Institutional investment vehicles

These capital-project partnerships are a structural feature of the sector, and our consultants understand the flow of talent between industrial operators and investors.

Renewable energy production

Renewable energy production involves profiles across all stages of a project lifecycle—from land sourcing to asset operations.

Core expertise is structured around three pillars:

Development

Land identification (brownfield sites, agricultural land, rooftops, parking areas), negotiation with landowners and public authorities, project design, and permitting.

Project finance

Project company structuring, debt raising, partial asset divestments to investors, and energy sales through PPAs or public tenders.
Construction, operations and maintenance
Delivery, asset management, and long-term operational performance.

We cover all technologies and market models:

  • Ground-mounted and agrivoltaic solar
  • Rooftop solar and individual or collective self-consumption
  • Onshore and offshore wind
  • Biogas and biomethane
  • Hydrogen and low-carbon molecules

Roles covered:

  • CEOs, Deputy CEOs, and Presidents of IPPs
  • Development Directors and regional heads
  • Project finance and energy monetization directors
  • Construction and operations directors
  • R&D and industrial directors
  • International directors and regional managers
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Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): a rapidly growing market

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming one of the most dynamic segments of the energy transition in France, driven by increasing intermittency in renewables, changes in capacity mechanisms and grid services, and rising demand for flexibility from industrial users.

Large-scale projects are being deployed both as standalone assets and hybrid systems combined with solar or wind farms. The market is evolving rapidly, driven by renewable developers, utilities, infrastructure funds, and specialized new entrants.

We support all stakeholders in this emerging industry, from executive leadership to technical and trading functions.

While many skills overlap with renewable energy (project development, financing, EPC, operations), storage adds specific expertise:

  • Use-case modelling and revenue stacking
  • Access to energy markets and RTE tenders
  • Energy management system integration
  • Balance between merchant revenues and tolling contracts

BESS-specific roles:

  • CEOs and COO of BESS operators
  • Storage development directors
  • BESS project managers
  • Asset managers and optimization specialists
  • Energy traders specialized in storage and system services
  • EPC and operations managers
  • Project finance managers for storage assets

Energy efficiency and energy services

Energy efficiency is structured around Energy Savings Certificates (CEE) and Energy Service Companies (ESCOs).
The CEE market represents several billion euros annually in France and is entering a new regulatory phase (2026–2030) with significantly increased obligations. Energy suppliers must finance energy savings for end customers or face financial penalties, while accredited operators structure and deliver these projects.

Alongside CEE operators, ESCOs provide integrated, long-term energy performance contracts, shifting from traditional works-based models to performance-based, guaranteed outcomes.
The large commercial real estate segment is rapidly structuring, often supported by infrastructure funds focused on the energy transition.

Roles covered:

  • CEOs of ESCOs and CEE operators
  • Profit center directors (social housing, municipalities, corporate real estate, industrial clients)
  • Sales and key account directors
  • Operations directors and subcontractor coordination
  • Technical project directors (CEE structuring)
  • Energy certificate traders

Building decarbonization and client solutions

Building decarbonization covers a broad spectrum, from energy audits and carbon assessments to deep renovation and solar self-consumption solutions for commercial and industrial assets.
Operators serve real estate companies, multi-site networks, logistics players, retail groups, and hospitality operators, within an increasingly regulated environment (rooftop solar mandates, national energy efficiency regulations, EU frameworks).
We recruit business development leaders, technical managers, and executive roles in platforms operating in a historically under-digitized market.

Financing and specialized investors

The energy transition ecosystem includes infrastructure funds, energy transition funds, private debt funds, public financial institutions, and co-investment platforms.
We recruit investment, asset management, and portfolio management professionals dedicated to renewable energy and storage assets, across France and European financial hubs.

Assessment criteria

Beyond career background, we evaluate candidates on sector-specific fundamentals:

  • Economic understanding of renewable and storage projects (CAPEX, OPEX, SPV structuring, revenue modelling)
  • Regulatory and tariff frameworks
  • Public stakeholders and permitting processes
  • Ability to balance organic growth and M&A
  • For executives: ability to manage standalone P&L within holding structures
  • For international roles: multi-country deployment and central/local organizational structuring
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Our added value

Our value proposition is built on four pillars:

  • Deep mapping of a rapidly evolving ecosystem of industrial and financial players
  • Strong understanding of business models across each sub-segment
  • Expertise in fundraising and capital structuring cycles
  • Direct approach methodology to reach senior executives and profit center leaders, who are typically passive candidates

Partnerships and Events

Learn about our real estate partnerships

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