Start-up expert becomes new CEO of EnOcean

Dr. Wald Siskens joins the world leader in energy harvesting wireless technology as Chief Executive Officer

Munich, Germany – September 22, 2014

EnOcean today announced the appointment of Dr. Wald Siskens as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In this position, he will further develop EnOcean’s business in line with the company’s long-term growth strategy for the core markets of building automation and smart home. With Wald Siskens, EnOcean has gained an expert in managing innovative technical start-ups. He succeeds Laurent Giai-Miniet who left to pursue other interests in the high-tech sector.

Before joining EnOcean, Dr. Wald Siskens held the position of CEO at the Munich-based company BEKON, the leading provider of dry anaerobic digestion technology for biowaste in Europe. To support global expansion, Wald installed a highly profitable technology provider business model, demonstrated with two projects secured in the USA. Wald joined BEKON in late 2012 from a position as executive in residence at Kleiner Perkins (KP), the largest investor in BEKON.

In 2011, Dr. Wald Siskens sold Spatial Photonics, another KP venture in the semiconductor space, which he built from the conception, to first revenues, and finally its sale. Spatial Photonics recruited the Dutch national from an executive position at Philips. His 17-year career at Philips spanned from manufacturing research to product development and general management in the field of consumer electronics and semiconductors. Wald holds a PhD and a master’s degree in Technology Management from the Technical University Eindhoven.

“EnOcean has reached a significant business phase. The company is establishing batteryless technology in international markets, building new partnerships and extending application areas,” emphasized Keith Cornell, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of EnOcean. “Wald Siskens has extensive experience in successfully running businesses from scratch in competitive high-tech industries. We are delighted to have him as CEO to shape EnOcean’s future.”

“It’s an exciting time to join EnOcean, the company that freed wireless sensors and switches from batteries,” says Dr. Wald Siskens. “The spirit of innovation and the passion of its team is a vital part of EnOcean’s business and characterize its leading market position and strong industry reputation. I’m looking forward to actively building the company’s future path based on this inventiveness. Besides the established building automation market, I see tremendous growth opportunities for the self-powered technology in fields where the batteryless approach brings additional benefit, such as smart homes and the Internet of Things.”

Instead of batteries, EnOcean wireless modules are powered by energy harvesters which gain their energy from external sources in the surrounding environment: from motion and indoor light to differences in temperature. This energy harvesting principle enables devices that are maintenance-free and highly flexible to install. Today, over 350 companies are members of the EnOcean Alliance, offering more than 1,200 interoperable products based on the EnOcean technology. Several hundred thousand buildings worldwide already use batteryless wireless solutions to save energy and increase comfort and security.