When he talks about his early career, Volker Raffel doesn’t choose conventional anecdotes from the office or the classroom, but recalls an experience that marked him in the early 1990s in Latvia. “I saw what it’s like to have no electricity for three days: first there’s only light, then there’s no water, then there’s no heat. It made a big impression on me and that’s why I wanted to get into the sector, to contribute.” That lesson has become a compass for a whole career: energy is not just a commodity, but the foundation of modern life.
As an undergraduate, Raffel chose to combine physics and energy engineering in Germany and France, convinced that only a solid grounding would allow him to understand the complexities of the field. He then joined the company which, through successive restructurings, became part of the E.ON group. More than two decades have passed, she has changed roles and countries, but has not lost her enthusiasm. “I never got bored. I still have all the passion I can possibly have for this sector and I want to keep doing the right thing.”
Romania is an early part of Volker Raffel’s story. He first came here in 2004, with the privatization of the energy sector, and for a few years lived in Bacău and Iași, where he headed the regional distribution company. Since 2021, when he took over as CEO of E.ON Romania, he has returned with a personal commitment: “Now I’m going to learn this language as soon as possible.” He likes to say that “home is where family and friends are”, and Romania, with its blend of tradition, openness and hospitality, has entered this intimate circle.
He spoke openly about these stages and his philosophy of life on WATTs Next, podcast, in a dialog with Gabriel Avăcăriței, Chief Editor of Energynomics. The format, which also aims to express a personal dimension of energy leaders, gave Volker Raffel the opportunity to explain where his passions come from and what made him stay in such a challenging sector. “Romania is also home for me, because here I have found that rare combination of pride in tradition and openness to cooperate,” he said.
Beyond his professional background, there is a simple and powerful philosophy behind his speech: energy is about stability and continuity for communities, and leaders in this sector need to be more than administrators. Every investment, every new project and every strengthened team contributes to what he saw a country in transition three decades ago as lacking: the normality of having light, water and heat every day.
Looking at Romania through this personal lens, Raffel sees it not just as an important market for E.ON, but as a place where his own life experience is linked to the transformations of an entire country. So when he talks about the future, he does so in a personal register: a natural continuation of a mission that began with a chance that changed his destiny in the early 1990s, in a corner of Europe.
About “WATTs Next”
“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.