Former boss of RWE Renewables to help lead BP’s business transformation

Moving forward with its plans to transform from an international oil and gas company into an integrated energy company, BP has elected a former CEO of RWE’s renewable business to head its gas & low carbon energy business as the current head is leaving at the end of the year.

BP on Tuesday announced the appointment of Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath as its new executive vice president, gas and low carbon energy, and member of its leadership team, starting from 1 March 2022. Until recently, she was the chief executive officer of RWE Renewables.

Bernard Looney, BP chief executive, said: “I am delighted that Anja has chosen to join us and help lead BP’s transformation from international oil company to integrated energy company. She is exactly the right person for BP, at exactly the right time – a globally respected and deeply experienced leader in renewable energy with a proven track record of transforming and growing businesses”.

Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath is an electrical engineer with more than 25 years of senior experience in energy, industry and management consultancy, including at the highest level in leading and transforming major renewable energy companies.

According to BP, she led the development of RWE Renewables into one of the world’s largest renewable power companies and the second largest offshore wind player globally. Before becoming chief executive of RWE Renewables on its formation, she led E.ON’s Climate & Renewables business as chief executive and previously chief operating officer.

Dotzenrath said: “I spent much of my career building renewables businesses and I’m thrilled about the opportunity ahead with BP. Its global reach, ambitious low carbon growth targets and vision for a net-zero future are a great platform for making a material contribution to a more sustainable and inclusive energy future. By integrating gas, renewables, hydrogen and biofuels at scale we can build a world-leading business in low carbon”.

BP previously pledged to become a net-zero company by 2050, along with many other oil and gas majors. BP’s strategy aims to significantly expand its low carbon energy interests, with a target of having developed 20GW net of renewable assets by 2025 and aiming for 50GW by 2030. BP expects to invest around $2 billion in low carbon energy in 2021, rising to $3-4 billion in 2025 and aiming for around $5 billion in 2030.

By the end of the first half of 2021, BP had developed 3.7GW of renewable power capacity and had a further 21GW development pipeline.

While Dotzenrath will be joining BP early next year, the company’s current EVP, gas & low carbon energy, Dev Sanyal, has elected to leave at the end of this year to take a new role elsewhere, BP said in a separate statement on Tuesday.

Sanyal has been a member of BP’s executive leadership team for over a decade. He has led BP’s gas & low carbon energy business, having previously been chief executive of BP Alternative Energy, as well as executive vice president, Asia and Europe, from 2016. He will hand over his executive responsibilities during the fourth quarter.