In an exclusive interview with CNBC TV18 on January 20, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Gwenaelle Avice Huet, CEO of Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric, outlined the company’s growing focus on India, particularly in the water, steel, and energy sectors.“Industry automation across the world is at a turning point,” Huet said, citing global competitiveness, sustainability, and digitisation as key drivers. She added that companies increasingly seek concrete use cases to understand the value of automation, highlighting Schneider Electric’s recent awards for AI and sustainability initiatives in France and China.
On India, Huet emphasised the company’s work with the water industry, particularly in Delhi, to develop digitalisation of water and wastewater management. She also pointed to initiatives in hydrogen deployment and green steel development, which align with government priorities.
“AI brings competitiveness, and sustainability is good business too,” she said, noting that digitalisation, electrification, and sustainability complement one another to reduce costs and create added value for customers.
Huet also stressed India’s strategic importance for Schneider Electric. “We have more than 28,000 people in India across manufacturing plants and R&D centres. Our hub model focuses on being local for local, which supports expansion in green steel, hyperscalers, and water infrastructure,” she explained. She confirmed that India will also serve as a centre for global R&D, shaping industrial automation trends worldwide.Also read: Davos 2026: TCS is acquiring to build capabilities at speed, not revenue, in AI pivot, says MD Krithivasan
On India, Huet emphasised the company’s work with the water industry, particularly in Delhi, to develop digitalisation of water and wastewater management. She also pointed to initiatives in hydrogen deployment and green steel development, which align with government priorities.
“AI brings competitiveness, and sustainability is good business too,” she said, noting that digitalisation, electrification, and sustainability complement one another to reduce costs and create added value for customers.
Huet also stressed India’s strategic importance for Schneider Electric. “We have more than 28,000 people in India across manufacturing plants and R&D centres. Our hub model focuses on being local for local, which supports expansion in green steel, hyperscalers, and water infrastructure,” she explained. She confirmed that India will also serve as a centre for global R&D, shaping industrial automation trends worldwide.Also read: Davos 2026: TCS is acquiring to build capabilities at speed, not revenue, in AI pivot, says MD Krithivasan
The CEO noted that while technology for electrification and automation is already available, scaling it requires investment in training, skilling, and local partnerships. “Only 5% of industry heating is electrified today, yet technology exists to reach 60%. It’s about know-how and making it scalable,” she added.
Schneider Electric’s growing footprint in India reflects a broader push to leverage automation, sustainability, and digitalisation in key industrial sectors while supporting national priorities in energy transition and infrastructure.
Also read: Davos 2026: India can be one of the four main places for Siemens, says Cedric Neike
