Ferdinand Kleppmann studied law in Erlangen (Germany) and practiced as a lawyer from 1978 to 1981. In 1981 he became a civil servant of the Free State of Bavaria, working for the Local Government (Landratsamt).

From 1984 to 1989 he was a lecturer at the Bavarian university for civil servants, as "Government Director” (Regierungsdirektor).

Ferdinand Kleppmann was the Managing Director of the "Zweckverband Abfallwirtschaft Raum Würzburg”, a local authority waste management consortium, from 1989 to 2013 when he retired.

He initiated the German Waste-to-Energy Association ITAD (Interessengemeinschaft der Thermischen Abfallbehandlungsanlagen in Deutschland), representing practically all the German Waste-to-Energy plants and has been the President of ITAD’s Board since 1999.

The next logical step in his pioneering career was the foundation of CEWEP (Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants), which was established in 2002 in Würzburg. Since then Ferdinand Kleppmann is also the President of CEWEP.