Right now, Esbjerg’s mayor, Jesper Frost Rasmussen, and Business Esbjerg’s CEO, Karsten Rieder, are in Houston for the world’s largest energy conference CERAWEEK with more than 8,000 participants from all over the world. The purpose is to spread the word about the goldmine of know-how that exists in Denmark’s sustainable EnergyMetropolis within the green transition and technology.
There is a very good reason why we have been invited to CERAWEEK, because while the others are talking about the green transition, we are already well underway in Esbjerg. And the momentum is only going to increase in the future.
Jesper Frost Rasmussen
Mayor, Esbjerg Municipality
Among other things, the delegation visited Welltec in Houston, which is headquartered in Esbjerg. The company is undergoing rapid development, and more than 100 employees have already been hired at the Houston branch. And there are plans to expand even further.
“I spoke with Gbenga Onadeko, the director of Welltec North America, and they see a huge potential for expansion, and the interesting thing is that all employees are sent home to the center in Esbjerg. The welders even get a certificate at Rybners vocational school. It’s the knowledge we have in Esbjerg that they need in Houston,” says Jesper Frost Rasmussen.
The Esbjerg delegation visiting Welltec in Houston. From left: Mayor of Esbjerg, Jesper Frost Rasmussen, Factory Manager Welltec, Vagn Nielsen, Director of Weltec North America, Gbenga Onadeko and CEO of Business Esbjerg, Karsten Rieder. Photo: Esbjerg Municipality.
New cooperation on the agenda
World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP) held their biannual meeting alongside CERAWEEK. Here, co-operation between the cities’ business communities was at the top of the agenda.
“As president of WECP, I have been pushing for much closer business co-operation across the cities, and Business Esbjerg has been working on this task,” says Jesper Frost Rasmussen.
Business Esbjerg is ready for this, assures CEO Karsten Rieder:
“We have prepared a plan for how we can update the WECP website with relevant business info. It needs to be coordinated with the other cities, and then we need to make it available on the WECP website as soon as possible. It will be a great showcase for our local offshore companies in Esbjerg,” says Karsten Rieder, CEO Business Esbjerg.
“It will be a great showcase for our local offshore companies in Esbjerg.”
Karsten Rieder
CEO, Business Esbjerg