Frank Westphal (VINCI Energies) in a C-Level Interview: “We See Germany as a Trendsetter for the Energy Transition”

(Frankfurt am Main, July 20, 2026) VINCI Energies is everywhere—and yet often unknown. “I’d say we’re ‘hidden champions’—you don’t see us, but we’re always there,” explains Frank Westphal, CEO of VINCI Energies Germany Industry & Infrastructure and a member of the Executive Board of VINCI Germany, in an interview with Ralf Petri of the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic, and Information Technologies. “If you don’t have power at home, we’re probably already working to restore the supply. But even if you do have power, we’re involved behind the scenes: The electricity flows through power lines and substations that we built. When you buy your milk or beer, there’s a good chance we’ve automated the production facilities.”

The same applies to the transportation sector: “While we don’t manufacture the charging station itself, we’re able to cover the entire process—from construction work to planning and electrical permits, all the way through to implementation,” explains Westphal. “Especially with high-power chargers or charging infrastructure for trucks, value creation begins at the substation, includes the construction of the distribution grid, and extends all the way to the finished charging station. We can offer this entire chain from a single source.”

“More Digitalization Is Needed”

The conversation between Frank Westphal and Ralf Petri is part of a series of C-level interviews. In this series, Petri—Head of the Mobility Division at VDE and Managing Director of the VDE Energy Technology Society (VDE ETG)—regularly meets with executives from the mobility sector and related industries to conduct interviews on an equal footing. The conversations also highlight the people behind the scenes and are published on the VDE website.

For VINCI Energies, Germany is the second-largest market after its home country, France. “We see Germany as a potential trendsetter for the energy transition,” says Westphal. “What’s particularly exciting is that we can scale our experience internationally very quickly—for example, from North America to Europe or Asia.” Progress has also been made in the infrastructure for electric mobility. “I believe Germany is currently in a comparatively good position, especially when it comes to fast-charging infrastructure along the highways and at major transportation hubs,” says Westphal. “At the same time, however, I also see a clear need for action. A major challenge lies in the area of apartment buildings when it comes to charging at home—this requires both regulatory and technical solutions, and it also calls for greater digitalization.”

About VDE

VDE, one of the largest technology organizations in Europe, has been regarded as a synonym for innovation and technological progress for more than 130 years. VDE is the only organization in the world that combines science, standardization, testing, certification, and application consulting under one umbrella. The VDE mark has been synonymous with the highest safety standards and consumer protection for more than 100 years. 

Our passion is the advancement of technology, the next generation of engineers and technologists, and lifelong learning and career development “on the job”. Within the VDE network more than 2,000 employees at over 60 locations worldwide, more than 100,000 honorary experts, and around 1,500 companies are dedicated to ensuring a future worth living: networked, digital, electrical.  
Shaping the e-dialistic future. 

The VDE (VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. For more information, visit www.vde.com