As part of its mission to spotlight leaders shaping the future, Enterprise World sat down with Nicolas Sanloup, President and Managing Director of Linxon Americas. In this candid conversation, Nicolas shares how his leadership is driving innovation and sustainability across the region. With Linxon at the forefront of the energy transition, this interview highlights the strategies and vision powering the company’s success.
With over 22 years of experience spanning Europe, Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and North America, Nicolas’s global leadership has driven the Linxon Americas team onto a strong growth path. His expertise in high-voltage equipment design and manufacturing large Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) projects has been instrumental in his leadership journey. He demonstrated his drive and determination to provide customers with a strong service commitment to ensure that technologies, construction safety, and quality meet when he is present. His vision and his dedication to mission accomplishment set a strong mark on all his executive roles at Siemens and Hitachi Energy (formerly ABB) helping solidify Linxon’s presence in the region.
Nicolas’s unique blend of leadership, technical expertise, and construction experience sets him apart. His ability to drive impactful solutions across diverse energy sectors, while fostering a culture of empowerment and growth, has been pivotal in expanding Linxon’s Americas position. Under his guidance, the Americas Hub redefined its purpose, its path forward, and helped meet and exceed results.
Nicolas took the helm at Linxon Americas in April 2022 with a clear mission: elevate the company’s capabilities in the Americas, redefine its purpose and value proposition, reconquer the market towards Offshore Wind, Energy Storage, Data Centers, Substations and Rail Electrification, and increase operational efficiency. Recognizing the vast potential within Linxon’s solutions and its talented team, he focused on improving team dynamics, fostering strong partnerships with key suppliers, and delivering results to clients. In less than three years, Nicolas has driven remarkable changes, doubling the company’s size in the Americas and tripling the EPC project backlog, including renewable energy initiatives.
Safety has been a strong factor in the success as he says “Safety is not just a priority; it is a core value that defines the company’s culture and operations”. The Attitude for Safety (A4S) program he launched allowed Linxon Americas to clear a full year with more than 300,000 hours of operations without injuries. This program embodies this commitment by emphasizing that safety is fundamentally about attitude, training, respect, and awareness.
“Safety is an attitude that everyone must adopt. It requires continuous training to stay updated with the latest safety protocols and practices. It demands respect for the rules, for colleagues, and for the environments in which operations take place. And it calls for constant awareness of potential hazards and proactive measures to mitigate them.” – says Nicolas Sanloup.
Under his leadership, Linxon Americas is not only enhancing safety standards but also advancing sustainability initiatives. The region is pioneering the integration of new technologies to drive the industry toward carbon neutrality. By implementing cutting-edge solutions for end customers, Linxon supports Original Equipment Manufacturers in reducing carbon footprints and achieving their sustainability goals.
One of the key aspects of Nicolas’s approach is his willingness to take risks and lead in technological innovation. Nicolas has championed the use of advanced equipment such as Hitachi’s EconiQ Dead Tank Breakers and GIS SF6-free equipment – because he used to design and manufacture them. These technologies, which have not yet been widely installed, represent a significant step forward in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting environmental sustainability. Nicolas emphasizes that as an EPC company, it is our responsibility to propose and support innovative solutions, showcasing our expertise and experience in advancing cutting-edge technologies.
He built a sustainability program for Linxon Americas around two main pillars: Decarbonizing the Business and Responsible Operations. The program emphasizes innovative solutions, offering decarbonized products and services to achieve climate-neutral operations with minimal environmental impact. It prioritizes a sustainable supply chain, health and safety to ensure employee well-being, and maximizes resource efficiency while upholding human rights, ethics, and integrity. By fostering an inclusive culture, driving innovation, and empowering employees through training, the program supports societal engagement and contributes positively to the communities it serves.
When discussing his leadership philosophy, Nicolas emphasizes the importance of preparation, training, and a culture of commitment and expertise at every level. Coming from a small town and a humble family, Nicolas developed a strong work ethic from a young age. This foundation, combined with his studies and determination to serve, allowed him to build a structured approach to leadership.
Nicolas often refers to his team as a “special force,” highlighting his belief in providing exceptional service to communities, families, and customers. His passion for service drives him to mentor his team like a coach, striving to bring excellence to the company. He states, “I’m driven by a belief in the value of my customers’ investment and a passion for undertaking challenging and high-risk projects. My expertise, honed over years of experience and reinforced by continuous training, equips me to handle critical missions akin to ‘Special Forces’, and I want my team to follow the same belief.
This approach has been fundamental in shaping a work ethic where employees feel valued and motivated to contribute to the company’s success. Under Nicolas’s leadership, Linxon Americas has earned the Great Place to Work certification for two consecutive years, a reflection of the inclusive and uplifting culture within the organization. “This recognition is a testament to the effort we’ve put into building a strong, supportive environment. At Linxon, we know that our success is directly tied to our people.”
Aligned with this purpose, Nicolas Sanloup is a strong advocate for integrating AI into the region’s work methods and training. The program, launched in Q1 of 2024, focuses on incorporating AI into Linxon’s execution methodology to improve processes and reduce human errors. Nicolas believes that the future of AI and automation in their processes, training, and management skills will ensure better service to customers, fewer mistakes, and greater opportunities for employee growth.
In an industry facing a shortage of resources, Nicolas has been a key proponent of using AI to attract younger talent and retrain individuals from different industries. He notes that while the nature of work has changed significantly over the past 40 to 50 years, this does not mean there are fewer jobs. Instead, jobs are evolving, and by leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI, Linxon can help transition people into the energy sector. This approach supports the growth needs of new infrastructure with local resources and helps maintain job activities.
The strategic repositioning of Linxon Americas, including the implementation of new programs since Nicolas Sanloup took over, has been instrumental in placing the company where it is today. Linxon now occupies a unique position between the very large EPC companies, which often lose focus on service due to their size, and the smaller general contractors who lack financial capabilities.
Linxon remains a highly flexible global EPC, a rarity in the industry. “Linxon is the right-sized, driven company that offers the flexibility sought by data center companies, offshore and energy storage developers, as well as utilities and municipalities. Clients appreciate the ease of working with us and the high level of expertise we bring to the market. With our direct access to Hitachi Energy’s products and AtkinsRéalis services, we make excellence easy,” says Nicolas.
From 2022 to 2024, Linxon Americas established itself as the leading EPC provider of onshore substation services in North America. The company’s first offshore project involved the onshore interconnection substation, and since then, Linxon has been awarded two additional projects, facilitating the integration of over 2.4GW of wind power into the US grid. At the same time, the development of the Energy Storage segment has positioned Linxon Americas among the top three EPCs for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) installations over the past two years, with more than 1.8GWh of systems integrated into the grid.
Nicolas’s expertise and understanding of developers’ needs, combined with his business acumen, have propelled the HUB to the forefront of these two segments. Strategic investments in proprietary equipment to support infrastructure projects have solidified its role as a key player, ensuring the successful and timely execution of critical projects.
A Vision for Sustainable Growth and Innovation
“Our goal is to simplify complex challenges and deliver projects on time, on budget, and with the highest quality standards,” Nicolas explains. Linxon’s vision is clear: to become the partner of choice by providing comprehensive, turnkey solutions that cover every phase of a project—from design and procurement to implementation and construction.
This commitment helps build the infrastructure necessary for a sustainable, carbon-free future. Looking ahead, Nicolas reflects on Linxon’s journey with gratitude and a forward-thinking mindset: “I’m deeply thankful for the trust of our clients, the dedication of our teams, and the collaboration of brilliant minds who are committed to building a sustainable future. Every achievement we celebrate is a shared success, driven by our ongoing pursuit of excellence and innovation. As we continue to grow, our focus remains on creating lasting, positive change for the communities we serve, while advancing the energy transition for future generations.
About Linxon
Linxon established in September 2018, is built on a foundation of 100 years of technological expertise and 60 years of global experience in substation and electrification projects. By combining AtkinsRéalis’ project management prowess with Hitachi Energy’s industry-leading technological knowledge, Linxon leverages the strengths of both companies to create innovative solutions. Linxon plays a pivotal role in helping cities grow, industries expand, and communities thrive by constructing essential components of the power transmission grid.
The company provides comprehensive engineering, procurement, project management, and construction services for large, complex power substations, including expansions and electrification projects across key segments: Power Generation, Transportation, Utilities, Data Centers, and Battery Energy Storage. Linxon’s vision is to be a partner of choice for its customers through its comprehensive solution portfolio, and its purpose is to build the infrastructure that powers the world with carbon-free energy.
