Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy technology, announced on August 12 the appointment of Nicole Malan as its new Vice President, Power Systems and Infrastructure for its operations in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A New Leadership Role Across Sub-Saharan Africa
With 18 years of experience in the electricity, energy and construction sectors, Nicole Malan has developed strong international expertise across Europe, Africa and island territories. She has built a solid track record in delivering complex projects involving multiple entities, while driving profitable growth.
In her new role, Nicole Malan will oversee Schneider Electric’s Power Systems and Infrastructure activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on accelerating the energy transition, advancing digitalization and delivering efficient and sustainable electrical infrastructure solutions.
Passionate about developing sustainable energy systems and supporting teams, she will also help customers address the challenges of the energy transition while fostering innovation and creating long-term value.
Nicole Malan said: “I am honored to take on this responsibility and to continue Schneider Electric’s mission in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our priority is to provide leading sustainable energy solutions that not only enable our customers to thrive in this new energy landscape, but also strengthen long-term partnerships and drive tangible regional growth.”
A Steady Rise Within Schneider Electric
Nicole Malan joined Schneider Electric in February 2019. Prior to this appointment, since October 2024, she had served as Vice President, Power Systems for Francophone Africa and the Islands. This role built on several years of experience within Schneider Electric and reflected her in-depth knowledge of African markets, their energy challenges and their operational specificities.
Previously, from May 2022 to September 2024, she served as Regional Hub Director for Francophone Africa and the Islands, based in Casablanca.
A 64-Country Scope
In this broad role, she oversaw a 64-country territory spanning North Africa, West and Central Africa, as well as island territories in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific. She led teams and functions covering engineering, logistics, finance and procurement, with responsibility for an annual profit and loss account of approximately €60 million.
This experience enabled her to develop a highly cross-functional approach to management. Beyond operational leadership, Nicole Malan was responsible for supporting profitable growth, particularly by targeting strategic customers and opportunities. She also placed strong emphasis on building close relationships both across the organization and with customers.
Expertise Built Through Complex Projects
Her career at Schneider Electric had previously been marked by a strong specialization in tendering, project management and contract execution.
From May 2021 to April 2022, she served in Abidjan as Tendering and Project Execution Director for Sub-Saharan Africa and indirect export customers. Tendering refers to the process of preparing, submitting and managing bids in response to calls for tenders.
She led project managers and business management teams for West and Central Africa, as well as European customers operating in Africa and the islands.
Her scope included complex, multi-sector projects involving several business units, meaning different operational divisions within the company. She was responsible for customer project performance, with the dual objective of improving profitability and strengthening customer satisfaction.
The role also enabled her to develop extensive expertise in commercial and contractual negotiations, as well as risk and opportunity management.
Early Leadership Roles at Schneider Electric
Previously, from February 2019 to April 2021, Nicole Malan served as Tendering & Project Management Director for West and Central Africa, also based in Abidjan.In this position, she further developed the combination of skills that would characterize her career: complex project management, contract negotiation, risk management and economic performance.
A Background Combining Engineering, Management and Finance
Nicole Malan holds several advanced degrees, including a Master’s degree in Industrial Management, Project Management and Supply Chain from CentraleSupélec, as well as a Master’s degree in Finance from IAE Paris, Sorbonne Business School. She also holds an engineering degree from the Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) in Abidjan.
Early Career in Industrial Automation
Nicole Malan began her professional career in France in 2006 at Invensys, a company specializing in automation technologies that was later acquired by Schneider Electric. She worked as an Automation and Distributed Control Systems Engineer. This first experience placed her directly in the field of industrial engineering and control technologies, providing early exposure to the technical challenges associated with energy infrastructure.
In 2008, still in France, she joined GRTgaz, a subsidiary of the Engie Group, as a Project Manager. For nearly two years, she worked on various stages of gas infrastructure projects, including project scoping and studies, preparation of specifications and tender documents, selection of suppliers and subcontractors, construction monitoring and commissioning of facilities. She was also responsible for budget preparation and monitoring, as well as financial and operational risk management. This early stage of her career gave her a hands-on understanding of the entire lifecycle of an industrial project, from design through to field execution.
Expertise in Contracts and Major Projects
In 2010, Nicole Malan joined AREVA NP, where she spent nearly five years and developed strong expertise in business and contract management. Initially serving as a Business & Contract Engineer, she monitored project and contract execution, ensuring compliance with schedules, costs and quality requirements. Her responsibilities included technical and commercial negotiations, equipment procurement, financial and administrative monitoring, management of bank guarantees and invoicing, as well as cost control. She also developed expertise in managing claims and counterclaims, drafting contractual correspondence and monitoring performance indicators.
In 2013, she became Business & Contract Management Manager. She then took on greater managerial responsibilities, leading business and contract engineers responsible for approximately 40 contracts worth €450 million. Her role included implementing project and contract management strategies involving multiple suppliers and projects, while coordinating with engineering, finance, legal, quality and logistics functions. She also developed claim and counterclaim strategies, monitored financial indicators, and led risk management and related action plans.
This experience provided a decisive foundation for the next stages of her career: Nicole Malan developed the ability to assess a project not only from a technical perspective, but also through its financial, commercial, contractual and strategic dimensions.
From Contract Management to Strategic Consulting
In 2015, she joined PRULIA in France as Managing Director. She broadened her scope to consulting and supporting companies facing complex challenges in the energy and construction sectors. She developed partnerships with companies such as Eolen Energie and Currie & Brown and worked on project and contract-related issues for major players including AREVA, CNR, EDF, BESIX and POMA. Her responsibilities covered a particularly broad range of activities: business development, partnership development, negotiations, supplier and subcontractor selection, project and contract management, contractual and financial risk audits, and the development of negotiation strategies. She also supported clients in establishing project and contract management processes and tools, monitoring contract execution and preparing claims and counterclaims.
This experience strengthened a skill that would become one of the defining themes of her career: turning contractual risk management into a driver of commercial and financial performance.
Returning to Côte d’Ivoire
In June 2016, Nicole Malan joined Groupe Albedo in Abidjan as Business Development Director. This move marked a new stage in her career and strengthened her professional roots in Africa. As a member of the Group’s management committee, she contributed to defining and implementing its development strategy. She was also responsible for reporting to management and shareholders and for developing relationships with public and private partners, customers, subcontractors and suppliers. Her scope covered the Group’s projects in construction and energy, particularly electricity and HVAC engineering. She was involved throughout the project lifecycle, from preparing technical and commercial proposals and structuring projects to building and managing teams, monitoring construction and budgets, and overseeing execution.
This African experience represented a turning point. It enabled her to combine her expertise in major projects and contracts with a direct understanding of the commercial and operational realities of African markets.
A Career Leading to Regional Leadership
Nicole Malan’s appointment as Vice President, Power Systems and Infrastructure for Sub-Saharan Africa can therefore be seen as the culmination of a career built around three core pillars: technical expertise, mastery of projects and contracts, and international business leadership.
From industrial automation to energy infrastructure, through contract management, finance, consulting and business development, her career has enabled her to develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing companies in the energy sector. This experience represents a major asset as she supports Schneider Electric’s ambitions in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in energy transition, infrastructure digitalization and the development of sustainable electrical solutions.
