Hydro & Biomass Division: Viktor Lir to succeed Jörg Huwyler

Viktor Lir, Head of Asset Management for Hydro & Biomass, has been appointed as the new Head of the Hydro & Biomass Division of Axpo. He will take up his new post on 1 January 2027. Until then, Jörg Huwyler will continue to lead the division. Jörg Huwyler will then complete ongoing projects before taking ordinary retirement in mid-2027.

In brief:

• Jörg Huwyler, the long-standing Head of the Hydro & Biomass Division, is due to take ordinary retirement. An internal successor has been found in Viktor Lir.
• Viktor Lir has many years of experience in the energy sector. He currently heads Asset Management within the Hydro & Biomass Division and is responsible for licence renewals as well as project and business development.
  
• Axpo is Switzerland’s leading centre of expertise for the operation of hydroelectric power stations.

With around 60 plants in Switzerland, Axpo is the country’s largest producer of hydroelectric power. Furthermore, with its biomass activities, Axpo is one of the leading companies in energy generation from biowaste. The role of the Hydro & Biomass Division as a centre of excellence for the operation of hydroelectric power stations and for ensuring Switzerland’s security of supply with renewable energy is correspondingly important.

With this succession, Axpo has taken an important decision regarding the future direction of the Hydro & Biomass Division: “Viktor Lir knows the people, processes and challenges of the business and brings the technical depth and vision required to successfully lead the Hydro & Biomass division into the future. At the same time, I would like to thank Jörg Huwyler for his many years of commitment, which have had a significant impact on the Hydro & Biomass division,” says Andy Heiz, Head of the Generation & Distribution Business Area and Deputy CEO of Axpo.

Viktor Lir has many years of experience in the energy sector. After graduating with a degree in industrial engineering (TU Darmstadt), he began his career in M&A consulting and joined the Axpo Group in 2009. He played a key role in the commercial and financial structuring of infrastructure projects, as well as in acquisitions and disposals across various sectors. From 2015 to 2020, he headed Mergers & Acquisitions in the New Energies Division. Since 2021, he has led Asset Management for the Hydro & Biomass Division and is responsible for licence renewals as well as project and business development.

The official handover will take place on 1 January 2027. Jörg Huwyler will retain operational responsibility until the end of 2026; during 2027, he will complete any ongoing projects before taking his well-deserved retirement in mid-2027.