Nicolas Plesea’s career didn’t start in energy, Nicolas Pleșea admitted in a thorough conversation with Gabriel Avăcăriței, at “WATTs Next”, the new podcast format by Energynomics. Initially, he did not set out to run a business specialising in managing imbalances in electricity production. But it is precisely this atypical trajectory that is key to understanding his straightforward style and the perspective he brings in terms of risk, continuous learning and the added value he proposes to clients.
When he talks about his professional beginnings, Nicolas Plesea is not talking about engineering or trading in the classical sense. His early career took him into private banking, where he managed the assets of Europe’s richest people. He learnt what it means to weigh risk, structure it and present it clearly. “I think I’m characterised by a passion for putting my hands on the hot iron,” he says. With a genuine smile, he adds, “Over time, I’ve learnt not to burn myself.”
His fascination with risk has taken him beyond comfortable opportunities. After retail and corporate banking, he moved into the area of financing large Romanian companies when the energy market was just being liberalised – the early 2000s. He witnessed first-hand the first serious financings for major players such as Electrica or Hidroelectrica, in years marked by pioneering and uncertainty.
Later his career took him to ING, where he worked in structured finance. “I was not directly involved in the energy industry, but very close to it for many years, not necessarily in Romania.” Working on giant projects in northern Europe – offshore parks in the North Sea, billions of euros invested, high financial complexity – he learnt the essential lesson of the modern energy sector: nothing works without an integrated understanding of technology, financing and regulation.
The return to Romania around 2016-2017 was also atypical. Nicolas Pleșea recalls that the local energy industry was then in retreat. He first tried entrepreneurship in an entirely different area – the distribution of medical devices – before returning to energy in 2021-2022, convinced by European trends: Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), forward contracts, digitalization and the growing complexity of markets.
“It was a personal choice – and a choice for risk. Because energy is an area with very good opportunities, but also very high risks.”
Today he runs ADREM Asset Management, a company he proudly calls a “startup within a large group” (ADREM has over 30 years of continuity in energy). He’s not just a director but also a shareholder – a status that, he says, obliges him more than anything: to make quick decisions, be flexible and stay on the front line when things get complicated.
This risk-taking is perhaps the most important lesson he passes on to young people who want to enter the energy industry. For Nicolas Pleșea, there is no contradiction between entrepreneurship and rigour, between speed and a solid basis for decision-making. “Working in energy is not about avoiding risk, but understanding it. Modelling it. To share it fairly between partners. And not shying away from it.”
Another principle he always emphasises is a deep understanding of the industry – not just technical, but also commercial, financial and regulatory. “I started in the financial area, but I realise that without immersion in the technical details you can’t be successful in the long term. I’m still learning – and that’s something I think anyone who wants to get into this field needs to do.”
For those considering a career in energy, Nicolas Pleșea has a clear message: the industry is no longer the passive place where you put up panels and wait for the money to flow. Today it’s a highly competitive, volatile, sophisticated space, where digitalization and artificial intelligence are becoming mandatory, not optional tools. “Anyone who wants to get into energy has to be prepared to constantly learn. Take tough decisions. To work with engineers, bankers, traders, lawyers and understand a bit of everything. That makes all the difference.”
Nicolas Pleșea’s story is not only about asset management, but also about a journey that has spanned continents, industries and life stages. A journey that shows that in energy, more than anywhere else, the courage to learn and the ability to take risks are the most valuable assets.
“WATTs Next” is the new podcast by Energynomics dedicated to energy leaders, designed to provide a clear understanding of the people shaping the industry, their visions for the future and emerging challenges. Its main goal is to go beyond standardized answers and delve into the personal and professional perspectives of the interlocutor.
The interviews are structured in three essential directions:
- Shaping a personal and professional profile, providing an authentic picture of the career path and values of the interviewed leader.
- Analysis of the most current topics, to understand what’s next in the industry, what the implications are for companies and consumers, and what we should prepare for.
- Explanation of some essential concepts, by debunking myths and clarifying complex notions for a wider audience.
