Press Release

VPI appoints Jorge Pikunic as first CEO

2 minutes 21 September 2022

Jorge Image

VPI is delighted to announce the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer, Jorge Pikunic.

Jorge joins VPI from growth and sustainability company Xynteo, where he was CEO. Prior to this he was at Centrica, where he held several leadership roles, including Managing Director of Centrica Business Solutions, at which he led the development of decentralised, flexible, and lower-carbon energy systems.

Jorge will be responsible for developing and implementing VPI's strategy in the context of the UK's and Europe's net zero ambitions. VPI is already a cornerstone partner of Humber Zero, a major decarbonisation project involving hydrogen and carbon capture and storage in the Humber region. VPI is also committed to investing more than £2 billion on supporting the energy transition over the next five years.

"There has never been a more challenging time for the energy sector, or a time when it has been more critical for society. I am greatly looking forward to leading VPI through the next phase. VPI has a phenomenal team and a portfolio of flexible power generation and lower carbon energy projects from which we will build a new kind of power company for the energy transition."

Jorge Pikunic
CEO at VPI

Javed Ahmed, Head of Investments at Vitol said: "We are delighted to welcome Jorge to VPI. Vitol is committed to playing an active part in the energy transition. Jorge's leadership and wide experience in the industry will be invaluable in shaping VPI's strategy for the future."

Born in Venezuela, Jorge has a PhD in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University and was a research fellow at Oxford University. His career has also taken him to McKinsey & Co, Procter & Gamble, and PDVSA.

He sits on the Board of Trustees of the Faraday Institution, an independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research, which aims to reduce battery cost, weight and volume and develop commercialisation.