ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Securian Financial today announced that Ben Fowke, retired chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy, has been named lead independent director of its board of directors.

Fowke, who has served on Securian Financial’s board since 2018, brings decades of executive leadership, strategic oversight and corporate governance experience to the role. As lead independent director, he will help strengthen the board’s independent oversight, foster collaboration among directors and management, and support effective governance as Securian Financial advances its long-term strategy. In addition to his new responsibilities, Fowke also serves as chair of the Human Resources and Compensation committee and is a member of the board’s Audit and Executive committees.

“Ben Fowke is a highly respected business leader whose experience, sound judgment and strategic perspective have been invaluable to our board for the past eight years,” said Chris Hilger, Securian Financial’s chairman, president and CEO. “His proven leadership of a Fortune 500 company, deep understanding of our business and commitment to strong corporate governance make him exceptionally well-suited for this expanded role. I look forward to working even more closely with Ben as we continue positioning Securian for long-term success and delivering on our commitment to customers and partners.”

Fowke served as Xcel Energy’s CEO from 2011 to 2021, leading one of the nation’s largest publicly traded utilities through a period of significant transformation. He subsequently served as executive chairman of Xcel Energy and, more recently, as interim CEO of American Electric Power (AEP) from February to July 2024.

A nationally recognized business leader, Fowke has served as chairman of the Edison Electric Institute, the national association of investor-owned electric companies, and on the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, which advises the federal government on critical infrastructure security and resilience.