Christian Bach, Vice President of Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis
Why did you choose a job in the energy sector?
Renewable energy is in every way an industry with a bright future. Solar power in particular. It is only just beginning to reveal its potential as a game-changing industry. Being able to bring affordable, clean energy will influence so many aspects of society.
On a personal level, I really want to be part of this journey and contribute to driving the green transition. The more I learn about the global challenges we face, the more gratifying it feels that every day, I contribute to real change. The green transition will only happen once, so I am grateful to be a part of it.
Why become a part of Better Energy?
Well, Better Energy offers an enormous variety of tasks. I am constantly challenged and pushed professionally. And when one works – as we do in Better Energy – with the full value chain all the way from land to green energy, the learning curve is steep.
If you have the drive, abilities and motivation, you are quickly assigned more responsibility. There are many ways to grow in this company and always a surplus of challenging tasks. I have been given opportunities and have been assigned responsibility faster than what would have been the case in larger, more hierarchical organisations.
I now report directly to the Chief Financial Officer and the information I provide, for example, to the Board of Directors’ meetings, leads to concrete decisions and influences the direction the company takes.
Better Energy is also a company with a strong sense of purpose and a shared entrepreneurial spirit. People are willing to go the extra mile and are set on raising the bar. Because we know that this is the way we need to go as a society. We are not just hoping for a better world – we want to lead the change. And in my mind, we do.
We walk the talk. For example, when we say that we want to address the biodiversity crisis, we do not simply just post something about it on social media.
No, we actually dedicate a substantial amount of resources to biodiversity measures on our sites. We hire biodiversity experts and ensure that our sites have a more regenerative effect on plant and animal life.
What do you do at Better Energy?
My team and I lead our short-, medium- and longterm financial scenario planning and analysis on a group level, among other tasks. Constructing large-scale solar PV parks is capital intensive, so financial details are important.
My job consists of managing a smaller team providing financial advice and strategic support to the top management in relation to short-, medium-, and long-term liquidity management. That includes determining the optimal mix of assets. It is all about optimising the resources we have at hand and facilitating the most intelligent business decisions.
My job also includes providing advice and data on corporate funding and how we can optimise funding. We need to support the fast growth of our company as well as maintain an overview of all the incoming and outgoing supplies of liquidity to ensure there is enough liquidity to finance the ongoing operations and development of new projects.
What do you look for in people when you recruit?
A few things. The person must be able to learn and grow with tasks. The potential to take on more responsibility is key. Of course, you must be talented, but you do not have to be an energy expert. You must show that you want to learn new skills, constantly develop and are willing to be a part of the green transition.
Time is of the essence, with less than 20-30 years to avert the most significant effects of climate change. Obviously, we cannot change the whole world, but we can make a significant impact.
What have been one of your most challenging tasks in recent years?
The COVID-19 pandemic certainly left a mark and changed things a bit. We have been extremely busy with new projects and we have welcomed many new employees onboard, which has been rather challenging from behind a screen at the home office.
I want all new team members to feel as a part of the team, and I think we have managed very well despite the pandemic.
How would you describe the culture at Better Energy?
It is fun to be part of this journey. We are growing rather quickly and often reach milestones or conclude new agreements. This creates an optimistic atmosphere, but it is also very meaningful. Avoiding the worst climate scenarios is undoubtedly one of the key issues right now.
Our culture is also extremely informal and non-hierarchical. There is no real distance to our top management.
Even though we have grown a lot lately, we still have an entrepreneurial spirit, and a lot of former students are now employees with a great deal of responsibilities. There is a special vibe. I expect to be around for many years.