Working at the heart of the energy sector

Katrien van Liefde began her career in technology consulting, where she worked on implementations for clients across various sectors, including chemicals and consumer goods. She has a background in Business Economics and International Relations & Diplomacy.

Over the past few years, Thomas Gelauff has worked at the intersection of energy markets, innovation and finance, including roles in Barcelona and South Korea. “Working in an international environment gives me a lot of energy,” he says. “It’s where I perform best.”

He was particularly drawn to Magnus Energy because of the nature of the work and the environment in which the firm operates. “Magnus Energy works at a level where few consulting firms are active: the high-voltage grid, the backbone of the European energy system. Together with European organisations, transmission system operators and regional coordination centres, we work on pan-European energy transition and digitalisation. That’s exactly where I want to be.”

Katrien, meanwhile, was mainly looking for meaningful work with greater focus. “I wanted to concentrate on a single industry and make a real impact in a sector where a lot needs to change. Contributing to the energy transition fits perfectly with that.”

“Magnus Energy works at a level where few consulting firms are active. .. That’s exactly where I want to be.” – Thomas Gelauff, consultant at Magnus Energy

Working on European energy infrastructure

In their current roles, both consultants work on projects within European energy infrastructure. Katrien focuses on IT and digital transformations, acting as a bridge between business and technology.

European projects also often involve a diplomatic component: “You need to understand both the business and IT requirements and be able to translate them in both directions.”

Thomas also enjoys operating across different domains. “What suits me best is switching between worlds – between technology and policy, between strategy and execution, and between stakeholders, each with their own language and interests.”

Their projects have a strong European dimension. Katrien is working on the development and testing of the Capacity Calculation Tool within Core CCR, software that calculates maximum cross-border capacities across bidding zones.

Thomas works with European transmission system operators on developing and operationalising the future CGM ES data standard and the supporting IT for data exchange within the high-voltage grid. He has also worked for the Dutch government on an analysis of demand response and its contribution to system security.

“I wanted make a real impact in a sector where a lot needs to change. Contributing to the energy transition fits perfectly with that.” – Katrien van Liefde, senior consultant at Magnus Energy

Development, responsibility and freedom

Katrien and Thomas experience a great deal of freedom at Magnus Energy to shape their work and development. “I have a lot of responsibility and freedom in how I approach my work,” says Katrien.

“You quickly find yourself at the centre of complex issues here, with strong support from the Magnus Energy Academy,” Thomas adds. “That gives you a great deal of choice and control over your own growth path. Over time, you discover where your interests lie, and when you express that, Magnus Energy thinks along with you so you can develop in that direction.”

There are also plenty of opportunities for professional development, he explains: “There are formal training courses through external providers, as well as internal knowledge sessions where senior colleagues share their expertise. If you develop in a particular area, you can run a session on it yourself. In addition, everyone has a personal coach with whom we shape our development path.”

Content-driven

According to the two consultants, Magnus Energy also offers an appealing working environment with an enjoyable team of colleagues. “Open, close-knit and content-driven,” Katrien describes the culture. “Every day I’m surrounded by people who share the same motivation and show a genuine interest in the energy sector.”

“For me, the combination of substantive work and international collaboration stands out most,” says Thomas. “Because much of our work takes place at a European level, you collaborate with colleagues and clients from across Europe. People take both the content and the collaboration seriously, which makes the work very engaging.”

All in all, Thomas and Katrien clearly feel at home at Magnus Energy. In the coming period, they will continue to focus on developing European energy infrastructure and delivering digital transformations within the energy transition.

“In the near future, I’d like to keep building solutions that truly bring together technology, markets and policy within the energy sector,” says Thomas.

“I’m looking forward to further translating digital challenges within the energy sector into concrete solutions and achieving visible results,” Katrien concludes.

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