Orsted will reduce its global workforce by around 2000 people by the end of 2027 as part of a sweeping organisational restructure to strengthen competitiveness and sharpen its focus on offshore wind and European markets.
The Danish renewables giant said the move reflects the completion of several major construction projects in the coming years and the need to create a leaner, more flexible business structure.
Orsted currently employs about 8000 people globally, but expects to operate with around 6000 employees by 2027. The reduction will take place through natural attrition, outsourcing, divestments, and redundancies, it said.
Around 500 employees will be made redundant in the fourth quarter of 2025, including approximately 235 in Denmark, the company said.
Chief executive Rasmus Errboe (pictured) said: “Today, we’ve told our employees that from now and until the end of 2027, we’ll be saying goodbye to many skilled and valued colleagues who’ve contributed greatly to Orsted.
“However, this is a necessary consequence of our decision to focus our business and the fact that we’ll be finalising our large construction portfolio in the coming years – which is why we’ll need fewer employees.”
He added: “At the same time, we want to create a more efficient and flexible organisation and a more competitive Orsted, ready to bid on new value-accretive offshore wind projects.”
Errboe said Orsted remains determined to retain its leadership in offshore wind while cutting costs and improving efficiency across its operations.
“We’re committed to maintain our position as a market leader in offshore wind, and we need to ensure that offshore wind becomes a key element of Europe’s future energy mix and green transition,” he said.
“Therefore, we also need to reduce our costs for developing, constructing, and operating offshore wind farms to strengthen our competitiveness.”
The CEO said Orsted is fully focused on delivering its 8.1GW construction portfolio across three continents – the company’s largest to date – while building a stronger financial position to support future growth.
“We’re fully committed to finalising our 8.1GW construction portfolio across three continents – Orsted’s largest to date,” he said.
“At the same time, we’re building a more financially robust and competitive company with solid earnings, which will increase as we complete our projects.
“Once we’ve achieved this, Orsted will be a significantly stronger, more focused and competitive company. And amongst others, we’ll have our skilled employees to thank for this.”
Orsted said the efficiency measures will deliver annual cost savings of around €268m (DKK2bn) from 2028, which have been incorporated into its long-term business plan.
The company has spent much of 2025 implementing a series of initiatives to deliver on its updated strategic priorities and position itself for renewed growth, it added.
These include a successful rights issue to strengthen its balance sheet and steady progress across its global construction portfolio.
As part of its refined strategy, Orsted has narrowed its geographical and technological scope, focusing primarily on offshore wind in Europe and select Asia-Pacific markets, while maintaining efficient operation of its Danish combined heat and power plants.
Errboe said the restructuring will ultimately make Orsted a stronger competitor in the global energy transition:
“We’re building a more financially robust and competitive company with solid earnings, which will increase as we complete our projects.”