Tomaž Štokelj is new managing director of HSE

The third new high-ranking manager has been appointed in Slovenia’s state-owned power utilities in just three weeks. Tomaž Štokelj is the new managing director of Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE), a controlling company of the HSE Group.

Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE) said its supervisory board has unanimously appointed Tomaž Štokelj at a regular meeting as the new managing director.

He was selected among several candidates based on a personal invitation from the HSE and the recommendation of an external HR agency, as well as on the presented visions for HSE and the group, according to the announcement.

Before the appointment, HSE switched Managing Director Viktor Vračar to lead coal-fired power plant TEŠ. GEN Energija, another state-owned utility, selected Dejan Paravan to be its new CEO.

Of note, Tomaž Štokelj is a close associate of Prime Minister Robert Golob, who was head of GEN-I before the last election campaign started.

Hrovatin: Štokelj knows the energy sector to the last detail

Nevenka Hrovatin, President of the Supervisory Board of HSE, said Štokelj has worked in the energy industry his whole career and that he knows the industry to the last detail.

“We expect that, with his competences and experience, he will significantly contribute to managing the emergency situation in electricity supply in Slovenia, and maintaining the position of the largest Slovenian energy producer and one of the leading electricity traders in the region,” said Hrovatin.

Štokelj: The goal is long-term self-sufficiency of the Slovenian electricity system

HSE Group said it faces many challenges related to the provision of safe and reliable electricity production, cooperation in the planning and implementation of national and European strategies to deal with the energy crisis, and the continuation of the green transition.

Tomaž Štokelj said HSE Group must become the leader in the energy transition.

“Our first task will be to provide sufficient, reliable and price-competitive electricity production and an uninterrupted supply of electricity to Slovenian consumers during the energy crisis. With motivated and competent employees, as well as accelerated investments in renewable energy sources, sources of flexibility and in the development of new services, HSE Group will play a leading role in the economically and socially just green transition of the energy sector with the aim to achieve the greatest possible long-term self-sufficiency of the Slovenian electricity system,” he said.

Tomaž Štokelj has worked at GEN-I since 2021

Tomaž Štokelj started his career as an electrical engineer with the company Soške elektrarne Nova Gorica, HSE said, adding that he was also a researcher at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana, where he also obtained a master’s degree and a doctorate.

At the start of the second millennium, he participated in the establishment of the electricity market and was in charge of setting up trading in the emerging company HSE.

In 2002, Štokelj became the Executive Director for Marketing in HSE, responsible for the sale of electricity and system services and the trade in electricity and other products such as carbon coupons. He held the position until 2017. At the time, he was also the director HSE’s several trading companies abroad and a member of the board of directors of the Ruse thermal power plant in Bulgaria.

After leaving HSE, he provided consulting services in the electricity market and energy efficiency, managed projects for companies in the field of energy, and participated in the establishment and management of the company GGE Italy.

Since 2021 Tomaž Štokelj has been employed at GEN-I as Director of Strategic Portfolio Management.