Imagine standing on a factory floor, you sense the vibrations, hear the hum of machinery in the background, smell the scent of electricity in the air. You’re wearing a hard hat and safety vest, and in front of you stands a towering transformer—one you might just feel compelled to hug. For Trine Puge, Sales Manager Global Services Denmark, this moment wasn’t just symbolic. It was a turning point. A tangible embrace of purpose-driven leadership, a new chapter in a career that had already spanned over more than two decades.
From intangible to tangible
Before joining Schneider Electric, Trine spent 24 years working in software sales after finishing her business degree. Her roles ranged from marketing to channel sales, and eventually direct sales of business applications. In these roles she thrived in the intangible—selling ideas, concepts, systems and solutions.
But at one point she felt a desire for something more tangible. “I was looking for a challenge that could combine technology with real-world impact,” she reflects. This led her to Schneider Electric in 2024 as Sales Manager in the Global Services department. What stood out to her about Schneider is the commitment to sustainability and the vision for digital transformation in the energy management sector.
Leading with curiosity
Trine became a leader quite early on and has been managing teams for over half of her career. From her early days as a manager, she’s been known for her infectious interest and her ability to lead across borders. “I think my energy and enthusiasm made my managers believe I could lead cross-culturally,” she says with a smile.
At Schneider, she leads with empathy and intention. Her approach to team building is rooted in respect—for the experts in the field, for the customers they serve, and for the diverse personalities that make up her team. She looks for curiosity in people, accepting that you can’t know it all but should always want to learn more. Her approach to team building reflects the essence of purpose-driven leadership, respecting individual strengths while aligning them with a shared mission.
Trine emphasizes challenging her team members but supporting them the whole way. From “Learn from Your Colleague” Fridays to co-visits and peer-led training, she fosters a culture where learning is continuous and collaborative. “Salespeople listen when their peers speak,” she notes, “so I make sure everyone gets a chance to inspire their colleagues and share their superpowers.”
The power of stories in a world of systems, facts and figures
So, what is one of Trine’s superpowers? Storytelling. In a world dominated by configurations and calculations, she teaches her team to activate the other half of the customer’s brain too —the creative, emotional, and visionary part. The stories on how customers of Schneider operate more safely, save money, become more resilient, include circularity, get peace of mind and manage their assets in the best possible way should not be a secret.
She also recognizes the importance of creating proactive habits in a reactive world. Weekly prospecting sessions help her team take control and take a step away from incoming orders and emergency calls and into strategic thinking. “It’s about creating space for curiosity and making sure the job stays interesting.”
Bridging the digital and physical
What keeps Trine inspired is seeing transformation—both in her team and in her customers. Watching a client move from traditional maintenance to predictive and digital strategies. Helping a teammate grow into a confident leader.
And then there’s the purpose: “At Schneider, we’re not just selling state of the art products. We’re helping customers save energy, extend the life of their equipment, and reduce their environmental impact. That’s real. That matters.”
Trine’s journey is a bridge between worlds—the digital and the physical, the strategic and the human. It is guided by purpose-driven leadership that seeks real-world impact. She brings the thinking from the software world into the grounded world of energy infrastructure, and in doing so, she found a new kind of fulfillment. And sometimes that might just mean hugging a transformer.
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