CIO and SVP at Schneider Electric [EPA: SU]

Elizabeth Hackenson is a technology veteran with over three decades of expertise in managing technology operations and initiatives in large-scale organizations. She became CIO and SVP at AES in October 2008. Prior to this, she held leadership positions as SVP and CIO at Alcatel-Lucent and as EVP and CIO at MCI, a Fortune 50 telecom company. Backed up by this extensive experience, she is currently serving as the CIO and SVP at Schneider Electric.

Tell us about your journey to becoming the CIO and SVP at Schneider Electric. 

I started my journey with Schneider Electric in late 2017, following three previous CIO positions I held in the past years. This marked my fourth opportunity to serve as a CIO for a global company. Coinciding with my arrival, Schneider Electric made a strategic decision to establish a new group called Schneider Digital. At this point, our primary objective was to work with existing business operations and functions in parallel to our new goal - digital transformation. The scope of my responsibilities encompasses digitizing the IT function and supporting various areas such as sales, supply chain, finance, and HR, and enhancing the overall employee experience.

Can you walk us through the technology initiatives that you have implemented and their outcomes at Schneider Electric?

Upon joining Schneider Electric in 2017, we embraced a cloud-first mindset and successfully migrated approximately 10,000 servers to the cloud. This resulted in boosting application performance by 35 percent. Another significant undertaking was the ERP transformation. In 2018, we upgraded some of our ERP systems to the latest SAP software, S/4HANA, to enhance the experience for customers, employees, and the supply chain.

We take great pride in our efforts towards green IT, and we’ve been awarded for our achievements. Recognizing that our organization manages 350,000 IT assets and consumes significant power, we established a program to reduce our carbon footprint. Additionally, we leverage our own EcoStruxure solutions to improve the IT equipment in our prominent office locations, plants, and distribution centers. This falls under our IT resiliency program and is closely aligned with our company mission, to be your digital partner for efficiency and sustainability.

​ We take great pride in our efforts towards green IT, and we’ve been awarded for our achievements. Recognizing that our organization manages 350,000 IT assets and consumes significant power, we established a program to reduce our carbon footprint 

We also collaborated with our supply chain colleagues to enhance cybersecurity. Our team worked diligently to secure the enterprise systems and operational technology (OT) systems across Schneider’s plants and distribution centers. Moreover, we have formed a substantial partnership with HR and communications to improve the overall employee experience, emphasizing their well-being and satisfaction within the organization.

In your opinion, how will technology evolve in the energy sector in the next decade? Which trends and technologies excite you, and how will you stay ahead of them?

Undoubtedly, generative AI is a topic that is dominating technology discussions among professionals, and it has captured our attention as well. While there are new possibilities are exciting, it is crucial for us to approach its utilization responsibly. As I engage with my fellow CIOs, I sense a shared enthusiasm, particularly when considering the potential cases where generative AI can help employees become more efficient and effective at work. We can easily find information typically scattered across various applications, databases, and sales records, which holds great promise. So, we are genuinely thrilled about how we will leverage generative AI to empower our employees and serve our customers more efficiently.

What is Schneider Electric's approach toward digital transformation and ensuring agility and responsiveness to market and customer changes?

As a part of Schneider Digital, I perceive digital transformation as an initiative that requires close collaboration with our operations and business units to meet the customer needs for energy efficiency and sustainability. We have implemented a power couple concept, assigning a peer who works closely with Schneider Digital for each organization’s functions and operations.

This enables us to focus on technology implementation and address market changes and customer requirements. On one side of the power couple, we have the technology team that is focused on finding ways to implement technology solutions. On the other side, we have individuals dedicated to understanding and strategizing what actions should be taken to respond to market changes and customer needs. This collaboration between the technology experts and their counterparts has proven immensely valuable for our company. It allows us to prioritize important aspects, ensuring our focus is on what truly matters. The close relationship and constant communication between these individuals, meeting weekly if not daily, facilitates agility and prompt decision-making when it comes to adapting to evolving directions and changes.

Can you discuss Schneider Electric’s partnerships or collaborations that have driven innovation in the energy sector?

We have a couple of significant partnerships and collaborations. On the product side, our business units have a strong collaboration with Microsoft. The majority of our products are built and managed on the Azure platform. This partnership is closely intertwined with our EcoStruxure solutions and our endeavors in artificial intelligence (AI) that enable unprecedented opportunities for optimizing energy use across buildings, manufacturing plants, and infrastructure. Another important partnership we have is with amazon web services (AWS). We extensively utilize AWS for the enterprise applications that my team is responsible for.

We also actively engage in our Zero Carbon project, collaborating with the top 1,000 suppliers. Our aim is to assist these suppliers on their goal to reduce CO2 emissions by half by 2025. Furthermore, we have a dedicated group within our company called "Innovation At the Edge," which collaborates with many startups in the energy sector. These partnerships allow us to leverage the unique capabilities and technologies offered by these startups. 

What advice do you have for young professionals in this field?

I believe that a genuine passion for technology is crucial. The rate of technological advancements will only continue to accelerate. AI, in particular, will play a significant role in shaping our future. Therefore, I think passion is the drive to your success. It's important to find a meaningful purpose and align with a company that aims to make a positive impact on the world. This is how I perceive Schneider.

Reflecting on my college education, I realize that it pales in comparison to the knowledge and experience I have gained over the past few decades. It takes bravery and courage to venture into areas where one may lack formal training. Also, being a self-starter and self-learner allows you to learn at your own pace, and cultivating curiosity is crucial in this field.

In addition to personal growth, networking plays a vital role. Throughout my career, I have consistently sought out both internal and external connections. Engaging with colleagues within the company provides opportunities to learn from their expertise while reaching out to peers externally helps to navigate shared challenges. Regardless of the company's size, the number of people you lead, or the financial resources available, we all encounter similar obstacles. That's why I believe networking is essential—it allows us to learn together and support one another on this journey.