WindEurope has announced the appointment of Tinne Van der Straeten as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 2 February 2026. Her arrival comes at a critical juncture for Europe, as the continent seeks to strengthen its energy security, boost industrial competitiveness and stay on track with its climate commitments.

Van der Straeten brings extensive experience in energy policy at both national and European level. She served as Belgium’s Minister of Energy from 2020 to 2025, a period marked by the rapid expansion of wind power and the unprecedented energy crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions in 2022. During her mandate, she played a central role in forging political consensus around Belgium’s response to the crisis.

Her European leadership credentials include chairing the North Sea Energy Cooperation in 2020 and again at the beginning of 2025, presiding over the European Energy Council in 2024, and vice-chairing the International Energy Agency (IEA) Ministerial Meeting in 2022. Most recently, she served as a Member of the Belgian Parliament.

A strong political profile at the helm of WindEurope

“I’m honoured to be appointed CEO of WindEurope, and grateful for the trust placed in me,” said Van der Straeten following the announcement. “It’s a responsibility I take on with determination at a defining moment for Europe. Wind energy is central to Europe’s energy independence, industrial competitiveness and climate ambitions.”

She stressed that wind is a home-grown and scalable technology that delivers affordable electricity, enhances energy sovereignty and supports a competitive industrial base with high-quality jobs across Europe.

Welcoming the appointment, Henrik Andersen, Chairman of WindEurope, described Van der Straeten as “one of Europe’s most influential energy leaders”, highlighting her ability to keep wind energy high on the political agenda in Belgium and across the EU. “She has worked closely with industry and government to shape energy policy and build stable, long-term investment frameworks that enable sustainable wind deployment,” he said.

Tribute to outgoing CEO Giles Dickson

The WindEurope Board also paid tribute to Giles Dickson, who steps down after ten years as CEO. According to the association, WindEurope’s growth and influence over the past decade would not have been possible without his leadership and dedication to the European wind industry.

Delivering the Clean Industrial Deal through wind

As CEO, Van der Straeten will focus on ensuring Europe fully harnesses wind energy to deliver affordable power, industrial competitiveness and energy security.

Against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, WindEurope argues that Europe must decisively reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. A renewables-based energy system, with wind at its core, could save Europe up to €1.6 trillion, even after accounting for grid and backup costs.

Today, wind energy supplies around 20% of Europe’s electricity consumption. With the right policy framework, this share could rise to 34% by 2030 and exceed 50% by 2050. However, deployment remains below what is required to meet Europe’s energy security and climate targets.

In 2025, the EU installed just 13 GW of new wind capacity, less than half of what is needed to stay on course for 2030.

Permitting and infrastructure remain key barriers

“The wind sector is at a turning point,” said Van der Straeten. “The industry is ready to accelerate and deliver more than 600,000 jobs by 2030, but it is being held back by permitting bottlenecks and infrastructure delays.”

She added that she looks forward to working with policymakers, industry and other stakeholders to unlock the full potential of wind energy, helping Europe build a more competitive, secure and home-grown energy system.