DSO Entity has appointed Peter Vermaat as its new Secretary General. Mr Vermaat is already carrying out work for DSO Entity and officially starts his mandate on 1 October.
Following his appointment, Mr Vermaat said: “I am delighted to take up this new role as I see DSO Entity being an extremely important platform to facilitate the energy transition by continuously enhancing the important role of DSOs in a changing energy landscape.”
Vincenzo Ranieri, President of DSO Entity, said: “We are excited that Peter will join the organisation at this crucial time for our industry which is facing an in-depth transformation of the energy sector and, as such, the whole of society. With Peter’s background and expertise as a former CEO of a Dutch DSO company, I am confident that he will be able to strengthen the role and the visibility of the DSOs in the European Union and the role they can play in contributing to a fully decarbonised European society by 2050.”
The President also thanked Hans Craen, who acted as Interim Secretary General, for his work over the past months. Over the coming weeks, he will continue to work alongside Mr Vermaat to ensure an effective and efficient transition.
DSO Entity was formally set up in June 2021 to increase efficiencies in the electricity distribution networks of the EU and ensure close cooperation with TSOs and ENTSO-E. As such, the association will play a key role in the development and fulfillment of the internal electricity market. It will act as a platform of cooperation between all electricity DSOs with the overall objective of being the expert body tackling essential matters such as developing network codes and guidelines, contributing to the digitalisation of the distribution systems, and facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources.
In its first phase, Mr Vermaat will focus on the operational side of the association while also ensuring that DSO Entity’s voice is heard in the ongoing processes for developing network codes on topics such as demand side flexibility, data interoperability and cybersecurity.
About Peter Vermaat
Mr. Vermaat holds a MSc in Civil Engineering and Business Economics from the Technical University of Delft and an MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management.
He joined VolkerWessels in 1991 and became Manager Business Development and Strategic Planning in 1995. After having taken up different positions, he was appointed Director of PPP and Concession projects. In 2008, he became Managing Director of Evides Watercompany in Rotterdam and moved to Enexis in 2014 to become CEO of the Dutch DSO. Throughout his international career, he has taken a particular interest in organisational development, public-private partnerships, and sustainability, most recently in energy transition.