Schneider Electric has announced the promotion of Pankaj Sharma to executive vice president of its Secure Power division, following Dave Johnson’s decision to step down after nearly four years in the role. 

Johnson has been with Schneider Electric and APC for 27 years, and has decided that now is the time to pass on the baton to the next generation of leadership. Sharma has been with Schneider for 19 years, so already knows the business inside and out, having worked in commercial, strategy, marketing, M&A, and a whole host of other leadership roles around the world.

While Johnson officially stepped down on January 1, 2020, he will continue working with Schneider Electric for the foreseeable future. The company says that he will support the Secure Power leadership team transition in 2020, continuing as an employee of Schneider Electric, then as an independent consultant. 

“I want to thank Dave for his dedication to Schneider Electric and I know it is because of his leadership that Schneider Electric is well positioned to lead the industry with disruptive innovation,” Sharma said. 

“My goal is to keep raising the bar in the Secure Power space by operating with the highest energy efficiency possible, nurturing a growth mindset, and continuing to embrace a global and diverse team approach.”

Sharma is well regarded at Schneider Electric, where his previous role was senior vice president, Home & Business Networks. 

“Pankaj is well prepared to take this challenge as he has been working successfully in the Secure Power business for the last 19 years, living in various parts of the world,” said Philippe Delorme, executive vice president, Energy Management, Schneider Electric. 

“I congratulate him, and I thank Dave Johnson for his outstanding legacy. For 27 years, Dave has been dedicated to the success of APC initially then Schneider Electric in the Secure Power space. A pillar in our company, Dave has pushed a customer-first approach and a dare-to-disrupt attitude to keep reinventing a business that has gone through many transformations.”

“Resilient systems in the cloud and at the edge are a key enabler of the all digital, all electric world. It’s an honor to take over the helm for the Secure Power Division during this critical time,” Sharma concluded.

“In my new role, I will continue to advance our mission to ensure life is on in the digital world and that we are helping to build a sustainable future for our planet.”