“ Almost 50% of our revenue already comes from activities that help our customers to reduce their carbon footprint.”
In 2023, SPIE announced record results. How do you explain this excellent performance in an unsettled economic and geopolitical environment?
This clearly shows that we are positioned on megatrends that are shaping the economy. The geopolitical context is driving the pace of the energy transition, with demand for a larger share of low-carbon power, both renewable and nuclear, in the energy mix. Across Europe, these developments are having a major impact on energy infrastructures – SPIE's core area of business expertise. Germany and the Netherlands, for example, have made the switch from gas to additional renewable energy sources, involving the wholesale reshaping of distribution networks. Meanwhile, France is maintaining and renewing its energy sources. The political will to develop nuclear power is now well established, and we are starting to take part in calls for tender for new EPRs. In addition to these energy transition projects, there is strong demand from industry and service sector players for solutions to boost energy efficiency and adapt existing infrastructure to new energies. Lastly, we continue to be involved in the installation of the charging points and networks needed to support the growth of electric mobility. Our technical services are in very strong demand, enabling us to generate growth and maintain our margins despite inflation.
You spoke of major opportunities in Germany and the Netherlands. How are you positioned in these regions and beyond?
We are leading in the Netherlands market, and our performance there is remarkable. In Germany, the acquisition of Robur at year-end will enable us to expand into the industrial services market. In terms of revenue and headcount, Germany is now almost on a par with France. Our presence in Central Europe has also grown and we will be developing our organisational structure to enable SPIE to further strengthen its position in this region. Outside Europe, we are also equipping ourselves to seize the opportunities offered by lowcarbon energies. With the acquisition of Correll, SPIE Oil and Gas Services – renamed SPIE Global Services Energy – has tangibly expressed its ambition to diversify into offshore wind energy.
How are you mobilising your 50,000 employees to contribute to the energy transition, a crucial issue in the fight against climate change?
For several years now, we have been making climate action an integral part of our Group strategy. And I am delighted to see that we are making significant progress, both internally and with our customers and suppliers. Almost 50% of our revenue already comes from activities that help our customers to reduce their carbon footprint. All our subsidiaries are now offering services linked to the energy transition, including those specialising in digital transformation, where energy efficiency challenges are considerable. The energy transition is a core part of our business and I want all our employees to be aware of and understand the positive role SPIE is playing in this transition. We have included a sustainability component in the variable compensation of all our managers to demonstrate the importance of this topic and our desire to work alongside them to make progress in that area. We are also creating the SPIE Climate Academy to give everyone a better understanding of climate change challenges and the practical solutions offered by SPIE.
“ The energy transition is a core part of our business and I want all our employees to be aware of and understand the positive role SPIE is playing in this transition.”
In 2023, ChatGPT took the world by storm and considerably expanded the use of AI. What opportunities does this technology offer SPIE today?
I prefer to talk about statistical computing power as opposed to artificial intelligence, because that's what we're dealing with today: increasingly powerful engines that can process large volumes of data and make sense of them. The most obvious application for us is gaining an ever-greater understanding of our customers' installations. By using data from smart sensors, we can considerably improve their energy performance and predictive maintenance. All these technological innovations will obviously generate huge volumes of data that will need to be transmitted and stored securely. This opens opportunities for us in the installation, operation and maintenance of data centres. AI will also have an impact on our operations, driving efficiency and productivity.
Recruitment needs are high in your businesses, but there is a shortage of available talent. How can we ensure that this talent chooses SPIE and stays with us?
We have worked hard on enhancing SPIE's appeal to encourage talented people to join and, above all, stay within the Group, through promoting recruitment, referrals, retention – of young people in particular – and work/study contracts. Employee shareholding plays an important role in the broad range of measures we are putting in place, as it enables our employees to share in the company's success over the long term. Collectively, employees are our largest shareholder and the "SHARE FOR YOU 2023" campaign saw record participation, with more than 17,000 people from 14 countries reaffirming their confidence in SPIE's future and their attachment to the company. As part of the work on our company's purpose, during workshops attended by almost 700 people at all levels of the company, I was able to see just how important pride in our profession and the concept of trust were for the participants: trust in the company, trust in the teams and being a trusted partner for our customers. We need to build on these commitment levers by providing employees with a clear idea of the role of our businesses in driving the energy transition. In a world where people are, quite rightly, searching for meaning, this seems to me to be of the utmost importance.