Energy Voices: leading through volatility
Energy Voices: leading through volatility
The transition has recalibrated – oil demand is steady. Renewables investment is uneven. Politics are loud. Capital is cautious. For energy brands, the question is no longer, "How fast can we transition?" It’s more fundamental than that: how do you protect trust when the path forward is no longer linear? The answer is more pragmatic than ideological. This is a shift from purity to practicality. From bold promises to demonstrable outcomes. From debating the future to making it workable. We spoke to senior global brand and marketing leaders to understand how they’re navigating a market defined less by certainty and more by coexistence – and how disciplined pragmatism is becoming the sector’s defining leadership trait.
Stop talking about “transition.” Start talking about balance A few years ago, the narrative was simple: accelerate the transition. Replace the old with the new. The moral arc felt clear. Today, that binary framing feels outdated, and, for many stakeholders, unconvincing. Trust has been strained by over- promising, political swings, and shifting timelines. What customers, investors, and communities now want is not ideology. It’s realism. Miguel Rangel, Marketing Director at Prio, doesn’t even use the word anymore. “It’s not a transition. It’s a coexistence,” he says. “We should activate all the alternatives we have.” At Prio’s stations, traditional fuels sit alongside biodiesel, LPG, and electric
charging. Customers aren’t forced into radical change. They’re offered accessible options. “We have the regular,” Rangel explains, “and then alternatives for people who are more concerned for the environment. With the same car, with no transformation, they can coexist.” Etienne Melo, Strategy, Marketing Director at Sercel, sees a broader societal shift. “People understand that there is a need for oil and gas,” he says. “There is a more balanced view between oil and gas and the other energies.” For him, the debate isn’t about abandoning legacy expertise. It’s about applying it differently. “We have this history. We know how to explore and extract oil and gas. At the same time, with our technologies, we can help the transition and explore new energies.”
Stakeholder confidence is built by demonstrating competence, reliability, and consistency in delivering value over time.
Carla Haag, Head of Global Marketing & Communications, GETEC
It’s not a transition. It’s a coexistence. We should activate all the alternatives we have.
Even companies firmly rooted in renewables acknowledge the growing complexity. Paul Shanks, Head of Brand, Communications & Online at RES, says remaining 100% renewables gives the company clarity. “That authenticity – always being focused on a zero-carbon future – helps build trust. That is our focus. That is our passion. And we’re never going to deviate from that.” But he’s clear that resilience requires realism. Strategy flexes by region. Messaging remains steady. The near-term future is focused on what matters to audiences right now – and brand leaders are acknowledging that their storytelling must be, too.
Trust is built in the real world Energy brands are operating in a credibility crunch. Grand promises don’t land the way they used to. At EDP, that realization triggered a strategic shift. “Four years ago, we were super focused on our ‘why’,” Dias adds. “But we understood that the ‘why’ is not what resonates in some markets. We needed to shift the narrative away from the ‘why’ into the ‘how’.” Instead of leading with abstract climate ambition, EDP began emphasizing tangible outcomes: affordability, energy security, and job creation – themes Dias describes when explaining the shift from purpose-led storytelling to benefit- led communication.
“We started focusing not only on climate and sustainability narratives, but more on tangible benefits, such as renewables are the most affordable technology – a great way to create new jobs,” she says. It’s a pragmatic recalibration, and one echoed across the sector. At GETEC, trust starts with delivery. “Stakeholder confidence is built by demonstrating competence, reliability, and consistency in delivering value over time,” says Carla Haag, Head of Global Marketing & Communications. “Our brand represents who we are, what we do, and what sets us apart. It brings together our vision, culture, competences, and experience.” It’s not about claiming leadership
Miguel Rangel, Marketing Director Prio
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Brandpie Energy - Issue 05
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