David Shaffer

Chief Executive Officer & Director, Enersys

Search every verified David Shaffer interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. David Shaffer, CEO and Director of EnerSys, announced his retirement, effective May 22, 2025, stating that he made a promise to his wife to retire when he turned 60 and intended to keep it. He said he looks back with pride on his time in the industry and how it has changed and grown. Shaffer described the energy storage markets as exciting and said the opportunities "really sell themselves," noting that at EnerSys there are cutting-edge programs and geographic diversity. He reflected on challenges during his career, including a factory fire and a difficult ERP implementation, and said that in a crisis he saw team members who "ran immediately to the crisis." Shaffer discussed the importance of Battery Council International (BCI), saying he has a strong belief in its mission and would not have dedicated so much time to it otherwise. He commented on the battery industry, stating that lead batteries are a cheap, effective way of getting cold cranking amps and that lithium batteries have an advantage in cycling, adding that the industry needs to emphasize and improve the cyclability of lead batteries. Shaffer expressed confidence in his successor, Shawn Okonnell, saying his ethics, treatment of people, and leadership style make him the right choice to lead the company. He also said he plans to start pilot training and is looking forward to stability and calmness after years of travel.