November 17, 2024: EnerSys president and CEO David Shaffer is to retire in the new year and will be succeeded by Shawn O’Connell — currently president of the company’s energy systems global business.
EnerSys said on November 6 that Shaffer will retire effective May 2025 and that the board has appointed O’Connell as president and chief operating officer, with immediate effect, as part of a planned succession.
Upon Shaffer’s retirement, O’Connell will also join the EnerSys board. In the interim, both will continue to work closely together to ensure a smooth transition, the company said.
O’Connell has served as president of energy systems global since November 2023, leading what EnerSys said was a significant business transformation that included reducing annual costs by nearly $50 million. He will continue leading that unit while EnerSys searches for a successor.
O’Connell joined EnerSys in 2011 and has held several leadership roles including VP of both EnerSys advanced systems and reserve power sales and service for the Americas, as well as president of motive power.
EnerSys chair, Paul Tufano, said Shaffer’s leadership had transformed the group from a “traditional lead acid battery company with limited scale into a global leader in energy systems solutions”.
The group has seen revenue grow under Shaffer’s leadership by ~35% through strategic acquisitions and groundbreaking product innovations, Tufano said.
“Dave was also lead architect of EnerSys’ lean operating system (EOS), an award-winning framework and a gold standard recognized amongst the manufacturing industry.
“His efforts have built a unique portfolio of smart battery and energy management technologies, including both lithium ion and lead chemistries, leaving an indelible mark on the company and our industry.”
Shaffer said he was excited about the future of EnerSys and the entire market. He said O’Connell’s ethics and character, commitment to doing things the right way, and natural leadership capabilities, have supported our customer and supplier relationships and added to our culture.
