Utilities no longer want traditional consultants. They need partners who take ownership, share risk, and deliver holistic digital transformation – from SAP to SCADA. Why consulting is fundamentally changing now.
A conversation with Managing Directors Oleg Tereshenko and Anton Fishbeyn
Germany’s energy sector has reached a point where traditional answers no longer suffice. Decentralization, digitalization, regulatory pressure, and rising cyber risks are fundamentally reshaping the industry.
Against this backdrop, an uncomfortable question emerges: Is consulting still enough – or does the sector need something different?
“Many utilities find themselves in a paradoxical situation today,” says Managing Director Oleg Tereshenko. “Systems are becoming more complex, margins are shrinking, and expectations keep rising. At the same time, many organizations still operate with project models designed for a centralized energy world.”
According to Tereshenko, the core issue is not a lack of expertise, but a flawed understanding of external support.
“Consulting often stops where responsibility begins. Concepts are created, presentations delivered – but operational reality remains unchanged.”
From concepts to shared responsibility
Anton Fishbeyn, Managing Director and Co-Founder, also sees a structural shift in the market.
“Digital transformation in the energy sector is not an IT project. It simultaneously affects market communication, grid operations, billing, SCADA systems, and SAP landscapes. Anyone intervening only selectively risks increasing complexity – and in some cases, operational risk.”
The growing convergence of IT and OT systems presents utilities with entirely new challenges.
“We see real-world scenarios where technical debt, security gaps, and organizational silos evolve into systemic risks,” Fishbeyn explains. “What’s needed are partners willing to take responsibility across the entire lifecycle. That’s exactly how we see our role – not as external advisors, but as operational co-creators, with a clear focus on stability, security, and measurable execution.”
He continues:
“We’re prepared to take responsibility not just on paper, but in daily operations – from initial assessment through design and implementation to sustainable operational readiness.”
Why traditional consulting is reaching its limits
Both executives emphasize that utility requirements have changed fundamentally. Regulatory deadlines, changing market roles, Redispatch 2.0, dynamic tariffs, and decentralized generation leave little room for extended conceptual phases.
“The question is no longer ‘What should we do?’” Tereshenko explains.
“It’s ‘Who stands with us when things become operationally critical?’”
This is where strategic partners differ from traditional consultants.
“A partner thinks in terms of stability, scalability, and operational reliability – not just project milestones,” Fishbeyn adds.
Looking ahead: the future of the energy sector
Both agree: the next wave of consolidation in the energy industry will not be driven by capital alone – but by digital resilience.
Utilities that fail to manage their system landscapes holistically will increasingly come under pressure.
“The winners of the coming years will be those who see digitalization not as a cost factor, but as a strategic survival tool,” says Tereshenko.
“And who deliberately choose partners unafraid of responsibility.”
Conclusion
The energy sector is entering a new reality. In this reality, it’s less about traditional consulting – and more about trust, accountability, and long-term partnership.
Those who recognize this shift early gain a decisive competitive advantage.