Ionity snaps up Tesla Supercharger Europe boss as new CEO

Jeroen van Tilburg, Tesla’s former Head of Charging in the EMEA region, will replace Michael Hajesch as CEO of Ionity on May 13th, 2024. He will have to use his experience growing the American manufacturer’s charging network to do the same for the European joint venture as electric mobility becomes commonplace and charging infrastructure becomes increasingly important.

It seems there was no bad blood between Ionity, the European fast-charging joint venture between BMW Group, Ford, Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen Group, and its current CEO, Michael Hajesch. Both parties go their separate ways amicably, but the opportunity to snap up Jeroen van Tilburg was apparently too good to ignore.

Crucial Supercharger growth experience

van Tilburg led Tesla’s Supercharger network in the EMEA region from 2018 to 2023, the same time when the American manufacturer massively scaled up its production with the Model 3 and Model Y. During this time, the network grew from 350 sites to 1,000+ sites, and the Superchargers were opened to all EVs.

Now, Ionity counts on the Dutchman to do the same for its fast-charging network. As of now, Ionity has over 600 locations in 24 European countries, with 3,600+ charging points and 100 more locations being built. By 2025, the joint venture wants to achieve 1,000 locations by acquiring its own plots of land, not only near highways but also near urban centers.

Pivotal moment

“I am honored and excited to assume the role of CEO at Ionity as we enter a pivotal moment for the charging business in Europe. Guided by our mission of enabling electric travel for everyone, we are uniquely positioned to solidify our position as a leader in the industry,” says Jeroen van Tilburg.

“Our responsibility to deliver a premium customer experience – through comprehensive coverage, resilient capacity, unparalleled reliability, and support for all vehicle brands – has never been more critical,” he adds.

“We would like to thank Michael Hajesch for his great contribution and dedication to the company,” says Jörg Hofmeister, current chairperson of the Ionity Shareholder Committee.

“Jeroen van Tilburg has an impressive track record in setting up and boosting the growth of charging networks. In addition, he is an expert on the European charging market who brings a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges which Ionity is facing on its growth path,” Hofmeister adds.