What Iberdrola actually looks for
Iberdrola, headquartered in Bilbao, Spain, has built its identity around being one of the world's largest renewable energy operators, with particularly heavy investment in offshore wind, a technically demanding and capital-intensive form of generation that Iberdrola has pursued at scale across Europe. The company operates internationally through major subsidiaries, including Scottish Power in the United Kingdom and Avangrid, in which Iberdrola holds a majority stake, serving customers across the northeastern United States. This multi-market structure means interviewers, particularly in strategy and international roles, expect candidates to understand Iberdrola as a genuinely global utility group rather than a Spanish company with a few overseas assets, since Scottish Power and Avangrid each operate with meaningful local identity and regulatory relationships in their own markets. Given the technical complexity and long project timelines involved in offshore wind development specifically, expect detailed, engineering-grounded questions for roles connected to renewable project development.
Common questions and how to answer them
Why has Iberdrola invested so heavily in offshore wind specifically, compared to other renewable technologies? Discuss offshore wind's advantages, like stronger and more consistent wind resources and proximity to coastal population centers, alongside the real technical and capital challenges of building and maintaining turbines at sea. How does Iberdrola manage operating through distinct subsidiaries like Scottish Power and Avangrid across different countries? Show you understand these operate with real local regulatory relationships and brand identity, even while reporting into the broader Iberdrola group strategy. Tell me about managing a long-timeline capital project with significant technical risk. Relevant given offshore wind's multi-year development and construction cycles; use a specific example demonstrating patience and rigorous risk management. In every case, be specific about scale and technical detail where relevant, since Iberdrola's renewables-heavy business rewards candidates who can speak concretely about project economics, not just enthusiasm for clean energy.
How to prepare
Understand Iberdrola's position as a leading global offshore wind developer and be ready to discuss the technical and commercial reasons the company has prioritized this technology. Know the relationship between Iberdrola and its major subsidiaries, Scottish Power in the UK and Avangrid in the US, including that Iberdrola holds a majority stake in Avangrid rather than full ownership. If interviewing for a renewables project role, expect detailed technical questions given offshore wind's genuine engineering complexity and long project timelines. Expect technical roles connected to offshore wind development to include detailed engineering and project finance questions, given how capital-intensive and technically demanding this specific renewable technology remains.