We have been an established player in the German strategic communications market for 30 years now. Over the course of our company’s history, several of our colleagues have moved on to other companies, associations, institutions, start-ups or other consultancies. We have maintained collegial, friendly contact with many of them since. From now on, every six weeks we will ask one former colleague: What are you up to right now?
This time, our former colleague Lucas Wintgens is answering our questions. After working as a consultant at H/Advisors Deekeling Arndt from 2016 to 2018, he has remained in Düsseldorf: He has been with Uniper for seven years now, where, as Head of CEO Communication & Corporate Messages, he is nowadays responsible for the CEO’s internal and external communications.
1. You have guided Uniper through the energy crisis, government stabilisation measures and strategic reorganisation. What have you learnt during this extraordinary period about how communication can build and consolidate trust in the long term, even under intense pressure?
What I have learnt above all during this time is that trust is built long before a crisis arises and must be continuously nurtured. Resilient relationships with the various stakeholders, both external and internal, are crucial. Consistency and transparency are particularly important in periods of great uncertainty. You have to be able to explain why things are the way they are from the company’s perspective, and also be open about it when developments cannot yet be definitively assessed. Good communication then means providing guidance, remaining approachable and ensuring that the facts are correct. In my view, trust is built above all when communication remains reliable and transparent, even under pressure.
2. Uniper combines security of supply with the ambition to drive forward the transformation of the energy system. How does Uniper succeed in conveying this complex role in a way that is easy to understand and in positioning itself credibly as a key player in the energy transition?
For Uniper, security of supply and transformation are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary: a secure energy supply is the foundation upon which the transformation of the energy system can succeed. From a communications perspective, what matters to me is explaining this connection clearly, without oversimplifying or glossing over the existing conflicting objectives. Credibility is built by demonstrating specifically what contribution Uniper is making today – and how we are further developing this contribution for the energy system of tomorrow.
3. From your time in consultancy, you’re familiar with the need to understand different stakeholders thoroughly and address them in a tailored way. What helps you today to make complex topics understandable for different target groups whilst maintaining a clear line of communication for the Executive Board and the company?
Consulting was an excellent training ground for me to quickly familiarise myself with new topics and to consider the perspectives of different target groups. Particularly when you have been working intensively on a topic for some time, the real challenge lies in asking: What does my target group understand, and what is truly relevant to them? What interests them? It’s about translating complex content into understandable terms whilst maintaining a clear narrative framework. That said, you shouldn’t tell a new story for every target audience. The core must remain the same – the context, focus and language may differ. It is crucial that the individual messages build on one another and work towards the same goal. Only when all communication measures contribute to a shared strategic narrative does a consistent and credible overall picture emerge.
More about Lucas Wintgens on LinkedIn.