Head of Energy (Principal Consultant)
Name: Daniel Clauss
Age: 64
Degree: Executive MBA UZH, Dipl. Ing. Electrical Engineering FH (BSc)
Profession: Head of Energy (Principal Consultant)
Employer: Zühlke Engineering AG
Describe your job in one sentence.
I make European energy companies technologically fit to cope with the transformation of the EU energy system.
What are the three main tasks in your job?
- Advising customers on the use of digital technology.
- Advising on the structure and development of offerings within Zühlke's sales organizations.
- Working with international associations to remove regulatory barriers hindering the use of renewable energies.
What do you think is the best / most exciting thing about this job?
- The opportunity to make the world a little better.
- Combining strategy, economics, and technology.
- International collaboration with interesting colleagues, customers, and partners.
What is the biggest challenge in this job?
You are sometimes perceived as ‘unworldly’. A no-go are customers who do business without scruples and violate ethical and moral principles – Gazprom, for example.
What does it take to enter this profession or to be successful in it?
A very good understanding of technologies and costeffectiveness, a large network within the industry and ecosystem, an overview of the impact of laws and regulations, a high tolerance for frustration, perseverance, and the ability to form alliances.
What promotion/further development opportunities are there?
It is often possible to move from consulting to industry after a successful assignment, or from industry to consulting.
What would you have liked to have known about this profession as a graduate?
Nothing, as I actively built up the role at the company.
What advice do you have for students who are interested in this job?
Acquire a solid foundation and choose your next steps tactically, i.e. which skills am I still lacking/what experience do I still need?
In terms of your career, is there anything you would do differently looking back? Why?
No, it would have been impossible for me to predict my career path.
Is there anything else you would like to pass on to current students?
You must develop a passion for a subject — simply earning more money is not a passion.
As of March 2026