Esther Finidori Named CSO At Schneider Electric

In a significant strategic move, Schneider Electric has announced the appointment of Esther Finidori as its new Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), effective 1 June 2025. This development marks an important step in the company’s mission to further embed sustainability into its core business practices and leadership framework. Finidori’s elevation to the Executive Committee underscores Schneider Electric’s ongoing commitment to advancing its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals while strengthening its role as a global leader in innovative and impactful sustainability solutions.

With this appointment, Schneider Electric is reinforcing its focus on sustainability not just as a compliance requirement or branding element, but as a critical pillar of business strategy. Esther Finidori brings with her a wealth of experience that uniquely positions her to lead this charge. Having been a long-standing executive within the company, she has already played a pivotal role in shaping its sustainability vision and implementing key initiatives.

Prior to her current role, Finidori served as Vice President of Strategy for Schneider Electric’s France Operations. In that capacity, she was instrumental in steering the company’s efforts across several critical areas, including influence and advocacy, commercial strategy, sales excellence, and the circular economy. Her leadership in these domains enabled the company to effectively integrate sustainability into its commercial and operational strategies, ensuring that environmental and social objectives are treated as business imperatives rather than standalone efforts.

Earlier in her career with the company, Finidori held the role of Group Environment Vice President. In this role, she was a key architect of Schneider Electric’s environmental framework, helping the organization set ambitious sustainability targets and implement measurable action plans to achieve them. Her work has been central to Schneider Electric’s reputation as a pioneer in sustainable practices, and her promotion to CSO is a natural progression that reflects the impact she has made throughout her tenure.

Before joining Schneider Electric in 2016, Finidori built her career as an environmental consultant, where she focused on critical issues such as climate change mitigation and the global energy transition. This experience has given her a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with decarbonization, resource efficiency, and long-term environmental planning.

In addition to her impressive professional track record, Finidori brings strong academic credentials to the role. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering from Ecole Centrale Paris, one of France’s most prestigious engineering institutions. She also earned a Master of Philosophy in Technology Policy from the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School—an interdisciplinary degree that blends technical expertise with policy and business acumen. These qualifications have shaped her strategic outlook and enabled her to navigate the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and corporate governance effectively.

Commenting on the appointment, Schneider Electric stated, “Esther will reinforce our business relevance and leadership on innovative social and environmental practices.” The company added that her new role will be crucial in executing its updated sustainability strategy, which is focused on deepening the business impact of its social and environmental efforts. This approach aligns with broader trends in the corporate world, where investors, regulators, and customers are increasingly demanding transparency and accountability in sustainability performance.

Finidori’s appointment also coincides with a period of rapid evolution in global ESG standards and stakeholder expectations. From carbon disclosure and biodiversity conservation to equitable labor practices and inclusive governance models, companies are under mounting pressure to demonstrate real progress. Schneider Electric, already recognized for its ambitious sustainability goals and tools—such as its Building Decarbonization Calculator—is looking to stay ahead of the curve by ensuring its sustainability leadership remains agile and forward-looking.

This leadership change signals that Schneider Electric is not only prioritizing sustainability at the operational level but is also ensuring that it remains embedded in the company’s highest strategic decision-making processes. By placing a seasoned expert like Finidori at the helm of its sustainability initiatives and giving her a seat on the Executive Committee, the company is making a strong statement: that sustainability is not just a part of the business—it is the business.

As global attention on climate change, resource depletion, and social equity continues to intensify, companies like Schneider Electric are demonstrating that strong ESG performance can go hand in hand with long-term business success. With Esther Finidori leading the charge, Schneider Electric appears well-positioned to deepen its environmental and social impact while setting new benchmarks for sustainability in the corporate world.