Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of US company General Electric, was on a surprise visit to Bucharest last weekend. He met Prime Minister Victor Ponta and the heads of some of the largest local energy companies.

Immelt spoke about creating a regional energy structure, which could include four or five countries united around Romania, reports local Ziarul Financiar.

A single European energy market is a great idea, but hard to achieve, whereas a regional energy market is a more practical idea, said the CEO.

He added that he hoped Romania will be the next investment destination for General Electric, after Hungary and Poland.

It is the first time when Immelt himself, or any General Electric CEO ever visited Romania.

Immelt has been with GE since 1985. He has been named one of the "World's Best CEOs" three times by Barron's.

In Romania, GE runs a plant in western Bucharest called Unison Engine Components and the oil well factory Lufkin near Ploiesti. GE has also supplied over 200 wind turbines for the 600 MW wind park Fantanele-Cogealac, owned by the Czech group CEZ.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: ge.com)