Ole Hoefelmann

Ole Hoefelmann is President, Nikola Energy of Nikola Corporation, a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions. Originally from Munich, Germany, Hoefelmann’s depth of experience in the hydrogen economy is significant, with 30 years’ tenure at Air Liquide S.A. in positions that took him from the U.S. to Europe, with local and global responsibilities.

Starting in 1991 in a variety of foundational roles, Hoefelmann’s tenure at Air Liquide resulted in him leading up to 3,000 employees, holding titles such as CEO for Air Liquide in Iberia, COO Industrial Customers U.S., Chairman of Air Liquide Advanced Materials, CEO Advanced Technologies U.S., Vice President Hydrogen Energy Americas, Vice President Markets, Strategy, Innovation, Strategic Accounts, and Communication for the World Business Line Industrial Merchant.

Accomplishments with Air Liquide include development of commercialization strategies to scale hydrogen energy, influencing safety education and protocol, and accelerating growth in new markets, including transportation, where he collaborated with some of the largest vehicle companies in the world to set up hydrogen refueling networks and production.

Hoefelmann joined Plug Power in 2021 as General Manager of their Electrolyzer business, responsible for sales, product management, development and business strategy. He also was an operating partner for Hy24, a clean hydrogen infrastructure investment platform, and is former chair and vice-chair for the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) and vice chair of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA).

Hoefelmann is fluent in German, English, Spanish and French and earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Business Administration in International Business from St. Mary’s College of California.