The CEO of Volkswind and Head of the Wind division at Axpo, Katja Stommel, is handing over responsibility at her own request as of November 1, 2025. Klaus Heckenberger, most recently Managing Director at Eurowind Energy GmbH, is an experienced manager who will succeed her.
Since Volkswind was founded in 1993, Katja Stommel, together with two partners, has played a key role in shaping the company’s development over three decades from day one. Back then, Volkswind was one of the pioneers of wind energy in Germany. Today, the company is part of the Axpo Group and, as the leading wind farm developer in Europe, has already developed more than 1.6 GW of sustainable electricity with over 90 wind farms.
Klaus Heckenberger, a proven leader with 15 years of experience in wind energy, is taking over the management of the Wind Division and Volkswind. Klaus Heckenberger holds a degree in electrical engineering (University of Karlsruhe) and has completed further training in wind energy technology and management as well as hydrogen at the University of Oldenburg. He has been working in the field of renewable energies with a focus on wind energy since 2010 – most recently as Managing Director at Eurowind Energy GmbH, and before that at UKA Nord and Energiequelle. Prior to that, he held various management positions in the telecommunications sector at Corning, Telia and Siemens.
Klaus Heckenberger will join the company at the beginning of October and assume responsibility as Division Head Wind and CEO Volkswind on November 1, 2025. Katja Stommel will oversee the handover during a short transition period and will then devote herself entirely to the Stommel family office in the “Agriculture and Forestry” sector. “With Katja Stommel, we are saying goodbye to an entrepreneur who has shaped the success story of wind energy within Axpo over the last 10 years. We would like to thank her for this,” says Andy Heiz, Head of Generation & Distribution and Deputy CEO of Axpo. “At the same time, we are looking to the future: wind power is a central element of the modern electricity mix and is helping to drive decarbonization. With Klaus Heckenberger, we are gaining an experienced manager with a great passion for wind energy who will consistently develop this important business area both at Axpo and at Volkswind.”
About Volkswind
Volkswind, headquartered in Ganderkesee near Bremen and with subsidiaries in France, Finland and Romania, is a specialist in the field of wind energy. The company plans, builds and operates wind farms in several European countries. Volkswind was founded in 1993, making it one of the pioneers in the field of renewable energies. Volkswind has since erected over 600 wind turbines with a total output of around 1,600 MW. The Volkswind Group has been part of the Swiss energy company Axpo since 2015. Over the next few years, the company plans to continue steadily expanding its wind capacity.
About Axpo
Axpo’s ambition is to enable a sustainable future with innovative energy solutions. Axpo is Switzerland’s largest electricity producer and an international pioneer in energy trading and the marketing of solar and wind power. More than 7000 employees combine experience and know-how with a passion for innovation and the joint search for ever better solutions. Axpo relies on innovative technologies to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers in over 30 countries in Europe, North America and Asia.
