Uniper taps SEFE CFO for leadership job - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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Uniper taps SEFE CFO for leadership job

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on May 28, 2026

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· Last updated: May 28, 2026

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Uniper Names SEFE CFO Christian Ohlms as New Chief Commercial Officer

Uniper Appoints Christian Ohlms to Lead Trading and Sales

FRANKFURT, May 28 (Reuters) - German state-owned utility Uniper has appointed Christian Ohlms, finance chief of peer SEFE, as its new chief commercial officer to run the group's trading and sales activities.

Leadership Transition at Uniper

Ohlms, who has been serving as SEFE's Chief Financial Officer since January 2024, will join Uniper effective October 1, 2026, Uniper said, replacing Carsten Poppinga who has already left the company.

CEO Statement on Ohlms’ Appointment

• "Trading and sales are core pillars of our business model and are crucial to creating long-term value for investors. Christian Ohlms brings the necessary experience to further advance the development of a long-term gas procurement portfolio and to strengthen Uniper’s asset-based optimisation and trading," CEO Michael Lewis said

Christian Ohlms’ Professional Background

• Ohlms has more than 25 years of experience in energy and finance, with previous postings at McKinsey, RWE and E.ON

Uniper’s Strategic Direction

• The appointment comes as Uniper is gearing up for reprivatisation after Berlin took over the company during Europe's energy crisis in 2022

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Christoph SteitzEditing by Madeline Chambers)

Key Takeaways

  • Christian Ohlms brings nearly 25 years of energy‑finance experience, including senior roles at McKinsey, RWE, E.ON, Innogy and SEFE (sefe.eu)
  • His appointment underscores Uniper’s focus on enhancing long‑term gas procurement, asset‑based optimisation and trading as it prepares for reprivatisation steps post‑state takeover in 2022 (bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de)
  • Uniper remains under majority state ownership since late 2022 after a stabilisation effort by Germany, with plans for reprivatisation contingent on meeting EU conditions (bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has Uniper appointed as its new chief commercial officer?
Uniper has appointed Christian Ohlms, the current CFO of SEFE, as its new chief commercial officer.
When will Christian Ohlms join Uniper?
Christian Ohlms will join Uniper as chief commercial officer effective October 1, 2026.
What will Christian Ohlms's responsibilities be at Uniper?
Ohlms will oversee Uniper's trading and sales activities, focusing on developing their gas procurement portfolio and asset optimisation.
Why is Uniper appointing a new chief commercial officer now?
The appointment prepares Uniper for reprivatisation efforts after the company was taken over by the German government during the 2022 energy crisis.

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