Schneider Electric Appoints Gwenaelle Avice Huet as Executive Vice President of Industrial Automation and Laurent Bataille as Executive Vice President of Europe Operations

Laurent Bataille is Executive Vice President for Europe Operations since October 2025, driving both strategic direction and execution across the region. He has been a member of Schneider Electric’s Global Executive Committee since 2021, when he was appointed Executive Vice President for France.He began his career at Schneider Electric in 2004 within the Corporate Strategy & Acquisitions team and has since built a strong international profile across Europe and North America.From 2019 to 2021, Laurent led the Digital Energy Division, and between 2014 and 2018, he headed the EcoBuilding Division from Boston, US. Earlier in his career, he held several senior leadership positions, including Senior Vice President of the Solar Business in Canada, and Vice President of the Industry Division of Custom Sensors & Technologies Inc, based in California, US.Before joining Schneider Electric, Laurent was a consultant at McKinsey & Company.He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from École Polytechnique in France. 

Gwenaelle Avice Huet leads the Industrial Automation business for Schneider Electric and has served on its Executive Committee since 2022. She is responsible for Schneider Electric’s global portfolio of automation and control solutions, which revolutionize industrial efficiency using robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, digital tools, machinery, and software.Gwenaelle joined Schneider Electric in 2021 as Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy, before entering the Executive Committee as Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer. For two years, she led Schneider Electric’s full business portfolio across Europe as Executive Vice President of Europe Operations, representing the company’s contribution to the development of the EU’s agenda to accelerate Europe’s green and digital transformation.Before joining Schneider Electric, Gwenaelle worked at ENGIE (formerly GDF SUEZ) in various roles, from Senior Vice-President of European and Regulatory Affairs, to leading the Renewable Energies business. In her last role, she was on the Executive Committee of ENGIE, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of ENGIE North America and in charge of the Global Business Line on Renewable Energies.Gwenaelle started her career at the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the French Atomic Energy Commission on nuclear energy before joining the World Bank in Washington, D.C. as a consultant. She also worked for the service of the French Prime Minister within the General Secretary of European affairs with responsibility for energy and competitiveness matters, and as the advisor on energy and climate change for various ministers.Gwenaelle also serves on the Board of Air France – KLM. She holds a degree in Physics and Chemistry from the Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, a post-graduate diploma in Molecular Chemistry from France’s Ecole Polytechnique, and an engineering degree from the Corps des Ponts et Chaussées. She has also been nominated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She is based in Europe.