Introduction to E.ON Inhouse Consulting (ECON)

Introduction to E.ON Inhouse Consulting (ECON) 

January 2013

E.ON Inhouse Consulting is a leader in global energy 

consulting 

E.ON Inhouse Consulting (ECON) value proposition 

Source: E.ON Inhouse Consulting 

2 

Advising top-management of a leading global energy company 

Solving complex problems along the energy value chain 

Comprising vast external consulting experience and capabilities 

Offering an exciting path for personal growth and development 

Aligning a strategy consulting job with a long-term industry career

ECON is part of the E.ON Group, one of the world’s 

leading energy companies 

E.ON facts & figures 

� HQ: Düsseldorf, Germany 

� Sales: EUR 113 billion (2011) 

� Employees: 79,000 (2011) 

� Focus: “Cleaner & better energy” 

Founding of E.ON through 

merger of VEBA and VIAG 


3 

Start of international activities 

(Russia & Benelux) 

E.ON geographic footprint 

Extension of international 

activities (Spain, France & Italy) 

Biggest European utilities 

company (in terms of sales) 

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 

Announced new strategy: 

Cleaner & better energy 

ECON has 100 

consultants, 

located in 

Essen, and is 

advising E.ON 

on nearly all 

global 

challenges 

Further extension of international 

activities (Brazil & Turkey)

ECON in a nutshell – five things to remember 

Focus 

Positioning 

Capa- 

bilities 

Quality 

Value 

add 1) 

1) Value add = cash out avoided 


4 

� High end of the consulting services spectrum as alternative to & 

in full competition with external top management consultancies 

� 70% market share in high end consulting segment at E.ON 

� ~ 100 consultants; amongst the leading inhouse consulting firms 

in Europe 

� Unique combination of deep consulting, energy and functional 

expertise and in-depth understanding of E.ON 

� Incubator to develop new, high demand capabilities for E.ON 

� Top quality on par with external top management consulting 

companies 

� Team with >200 years of top management consulting experience 

� Sustainably realising a high value add for E.ON by avoiding 

external cash out and by protecting E.ON’s intellectual capital 

High end 

consulting 

segment 

No. 1 top mgmt. 

consultant 

at E.ON 

Looking ahead, 

incubator 

On par with 

top mgmt. 

consultants 

High double digit 

€m p.a. cash out 

avoided

ECON delivers consulting in the “high end” spectrum in 

full competition with the top external consultancies 

ECON focus 


5 

Focus 

ECON: 

„High end“ 

Tier I: McK, BCG, Booz, 

Bain 

Tier II: A.T. Kearney, 

Roland Berger, few 

strategy boutiques 

“Big Four” (E&Y, 

Accenture, KPMG) 

Remaining / others: 

Non-strategy boutiques 

Strategy 

Development 

Conceptual 

Design 

Implementation

ECON’s capabilities are a unique combination of 

consulting, energy, functional and E.ON expertise 

ECON core capabilities 

CORE CONSULTING 

CAPABILITIES 

Problem Structuring 

Analytics & 

Problem Solving 

Project & Program 

Management 

Business Communication 

1) incl. steering models, shared services, working capital,, risk mgmt 


6 

IN-DEPTH INDUSTRY 

KNOWLEDGE 

Trading & Risk 

Management 

Generation & Renewables 

Gas Mid & Upstream 

Distribution 

Sales 

Innovation & New 

Technologies 

DEEP FUNCTIONAL 

EXPERTISE 

Strategy Development 

Operational 

Excellence & Lean 

CFO Agenda 1) 

Organisation, HR & 

Change 

Sourcing

ECON’s strategy is a promise to realize high value add, 

deliver superior quality and develop top talent 

ECON strategic goals 

Leverage our scale and 

portfolio of capability assets 

to serve E.ON’s business 

leaders as preferred provider 

of management consulting 

services 


7 

HIGH (FINANCIAL) 

VALUE ADD 

SUPERIOR QUALITY 

AND HIGH IMPACT 

Adhere to the highest 

professional services 

standards and exemplify an 

uncompromised quality focus 

via rigorous performance 

monitoring and training 

TOP 

TALENT 

Excite our people and 

develop future business 

leaders for E.ON through 

active apprenticeship, 

stretching and 

entrepreneurial opportunities

ECON is well-represented with projects across 

management units as well as functional topics … 

Project Split 


8 

Support Functions 

Group 

Manage- 

ment 

42% 

1) e.g. Finance, HR, Procurement 

By Management Unit Value Chain 

10% 

14% 

35% 

Regional 

Units 

Global 

Units 

Distribution 

Strategy 

35% 

Organization, HR & Change 

Sales 

New Technologies 15% 

10% 

10% 

Conv. Generation & 

Renewables 

15% 

By Topic 

15% 

15% 

35% 

Trading / Risk Mgmt. / 

Optimization 

50% 

Functional 1) 

Operations 

& Lean

… and is the preferred advisor of E.ON’s top-management 

across regions 

Selected ECON projects and clients 2011/2012 

Generation: Board 

Lean Transformation Power Plants 

Trading: Board 

Trading Integration Concept 

Renewables: Board 

Global Biomass Strategy 

Group Management: Board 

E.ON 2.0 Restructuring Program 


9 

Group Management: Board 

Steering & Leadership @ E.ON 

Technology & Innovation: Head of Innovation Center 

Global Power Storage Business Models 

Regional Units: Head of Strategy 

Smart Home Strategy 

Global Gas: Board 

Operating Model LNG Trading 

Regional Units: Board 

Smart Grid Strategy 

Generation: Board 

Internationalization of Maintenance Group

Our projects solve real challenges for our clients, with a 

strong focus on business and strategy development 

Exemplary ECON projects 


10 

Biomass 

Strategy 

Power 

Storage 

Business 

Models 

Client and 

setup 

� Head of 

Biomass, 

E.ON Climate 

& Renewables 

� 3 consultants 

� 5 months 

� Head of E.ON 

Research & 

Development 

Center 

� 4 consultants 

� 3 months 

Context and 

objective Key challenges Problem solution 

� Develop 

biomass 

assets and 

sourcing 

strategy 

� Developing 

and valuing 

various business 

models 

for power 

storage tech‘s 

� Large-scale 

biomass still an 

emerging market 

� Complex 

regulatory 

frameworks 

� Vast content 

complexity (40 

business models, 

22 technologies) 

� Few business 

already made 

� Select approach 

to a set of 

biomass options, 

including 

conversions and 

new builds 

� Hypothesizing on 

business models 

� Specific definition 

of required info 

� Testing via expert 

interviews

Our people are a mix of senior professionals with strong 

top mgmt. consulting background and young professionals 

ECON workforce by professional background 

Total: ~100 consultants 


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University 

Industry 

25% 

25% 

50% 

Consulting 

Most common prior employers 

� McKinsey & Company 

� Booz & Company 

� Boston Consulting Group 

� Bain & Company 

� A.T. Kearney 

� Other international strategy 

boutiques 

Ø time spent in 

consulting prior to 

ECON: 5 years

Each consultant has a clear development path within 

ECON and exciting growth opportunities beyond ECON 

ECON organization 

2 – 2.5 

years 


12 

2 - 3 

years 

2.5 - 3 

years 

3 - 4 

years 

1) Management Team Member (Partner level) 

MTM 1) 

Principal 

Project Manager 

Senior Project Consultant 

Project Consultant 

E.ON line organization 

Direct access to E.ON’s 

Executive positions via 

Executive Pools 

Direct access to E.ON’s 

talent positions via 

ECON network and 

reputation

Thus, ECON builds on the principles of a top management 

consultancy, with differences in some essential aspects 

ECON business model versus external first tier strategy consultancies 


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Capabilities 

Culture 

People 

Development 

What is identical What distinguishes ECON 

� Thought leadership 

� Applying foresight built on 

- Deep capabilities 

- Experience 

- Creativity 

� High quality focus 

� “Client first” mindset 

� Obligation to dissent 

� Alignment with lifestyle requirements 

� Structured career path 

� Strong focus on capability building/ 

training 

� Performance culture/regular and 

detailed performance reviews 

� ‘Closer to the source’, in-depth 

knowledge of E.ON’s business 

processes 

� Limitations to provide insights on 

external best practices 

� Stronger topical identification with 

project and client 

� Lack of “big name syndrome” – 

trust, acceptance, mandate to 

challenge more difficult to obtain 

� Not a long-term consultant career 

offer, systematic placement on 

E.ON line/executive positions 

� Additional development of managerial 

skills

Our consultants are experiencing ECON’s value 

proposition on a daily basis 

ECON consultant testimonials 


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Giorgio Boneschi 

Position at ECON 

Management Team Member 

Consulting experience 

12 years with McKinsey & Co. 

I joined ECON as I wanted to get into a driver-seat-position in the change process 

the energy business is currently in. One of the things I like best about ECON vs. 

external strategy consulting is that here I can take my fact-based suggestions directly 

to my clients. Our Management Team Members are there for me if I need their 

advice, but very much rely on the work I am doing. This also drives the sustainable 

lifestyle I am having here – my wife and son are thankful for that as much as I am! 

For me ECON is the perfect place to be after my relatively long career with McKinsey: 

� I can continue doing what I like to do – consulting 

� I am part of a team that shares and lives a very strong set of values (client, people, 

performance) 

� I can concentrate on an industry that I like deeply 

� I work for a top tier utility in the world (my client and my company at the same time!) 

� Through ECON, I can look for a smoother transition to a line position after knowing 

better the organization 

Dr. Sebastian Lührs 


Project Manager 


5 years with Bain & Company 

Annika Ramakers I chose to join ECON mainly for three reasons: 

� I wanted to focus on an industry sector which is important for the future 


� I wanted to continue doing challenging and interesting project work 

Senior Project Consultant 


� I wanted a work/life balance that allows me to pursue other hobbies of mine and see 

more often my friends and family 

On top of that I got ECON colleagues that are qualified and inspiring, also „energy“ 

3 years with Booz & Company 

loving and fun people to work with.

We employ a pragmatic and transparent recruiting 

approach 

ECON recruiting 

Key qualification ECON recruiting path 


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� Outstanding 

academics 

� Strong problemsolving 

capabilities 

� Highly advanced 

analytical and 

communication skills 

� Team and entrepreneurial 

orientation 

� Strategy consulting 

experience beneficial 

but not a prerequisite 

Application Interviewing Decision 

Pragmatic application 

� Current CV 

� All transcripts and 

references 

� Email to your ECON 

contact persons 

3 case interviews 

� Problem-solving skills 

� Team & client 

leadership 

� Personal profile 

� Motivation 

Timely decision 

� Response within 48 

hours 

� Detailed feedback 

� Concrete offer 

� Flexible starting date

We are very much looking forward to get in touch with 

you! 

Getting in touch with ECON 


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Your central HR contact 

Rebekka Beyer 

Recruiting Specialist & HR Management 

E.ON Inhouse Consulting 

Brüsseler Platz 1 

45131 Essen 

Germany 

+49 (211) 4579 2963 

energize-your-career-econ@eon.com

E.ON Inhouse Consulting GmbH 

Brüsseler Platz 1 

45131 Essen 

T +49 201 184-7516 

consulting@eon.com 

www.eon.com 

Managing Director: Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath 

Registered Office: Essen 

District Court: Essen HRB 24332 

This document was created for the exclusive use of our customers. Without the basic detail analysis and the oral lecture it i s not complete. Transfer to third 

parties is only allowed if E.ON Inhouse Consulting GmbH explicitly assents.

Introduction to E.ON Inhouse Consulting (ECON)

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