Future Energy Leaders Romania organized the second edition of “Women in Energy” conference
Successful women discussed gender diversity in the energy sector and shared their personal experience on April 27, during the second edition of the conference “Women in Energy” organized by Future Energy Leaders Romania.
This year’s event was opened by Iulian Iancu, President of CNR-CME, who spoke about the importance of women and their role: “If there is no woman, there is no color, there is no form, there is no life. The most perfect synonym for energy is the woman. The woman is a miracle and also a mystery. She is life. “
Anca Dragu, president of the Romanian Senate, said: “Hate speech is a problem. Women face various challenges depending on the fields of activity.”
In her speech on personal experience in career development in the energy sector, Elena Popescu, Director General, Directorate General of Energy Policy – Ministry of Energy said: “To be a good engineer and prove yourself in the world of men you have to study a lot, be tenacious and be better than them. It is not easy for me in the ministry, but all the difficulties I encountered made me ambitious. I got to where I am and there is nothing to be afraid of or to be inferior to someone.”
Speaking about the challenges and the recipe for women’s success in managing organizations in the energy sector, Doina Vornicu, Chief Operating Officer (COO), at CEZ Romania, said that we need models to overcome today’s mentalities, models give you courage. Vornicu explained: “Within the CEZ Group in Romania, we managed to implement a culture based on the recognition of all values and gender equality. Energy is a very beautiful, fascinating field, but it is not simple at all. We set out to explain to the young people that the job of electrician is wonderful, noble and that not everyone can do it.”
Corina Popescu, CEO of Electrica highlighted that there is a lot of work in the recipe for success and offered advice to the young generation: “My advice for young people is to believe in them. My advice to their colleagues is to believe in their colleagues and treat them equally. Perhaps this equality of opportunity between women and men, at the helm of some companies, could bring the balance that the energy system needs.”
Anne-Marie Gestin – Executive Vice President at ENGIE Romania said: “Making a career means a lot of work, and if it is done with pleasure it is wonderful. In energy we do not get bored. Work with pleasure, associated with luck, is essential. Luck does not necessarily mean what you want at that moment. But being willing to do things that others don’t want to do, to take risks, is just as important.”
Livia Stan – Director of Public Affairs at E.ON Romania identified problems of women in the utility sector: the industry fails to attract trained women, and then have a retention of them, and promotion to professional maturity is difficult to respect. Livia Stan stated that “The transformational process that the energy and utilities sector is going through is an opportunity for women, being more able to adapt to the new, they have an accentuated innovative spirit and empathy abilities”.
The second edition of the “Women in Energy” conference addressed the issue of gender diversity in the energy sector and brought successful women models closer to the younger generation of women in energy, thus inspiring and providing guidance to the younger generation.
The discussions were moderated by Ella Ratcu, CNR – CME advisor and founder of the Future Energy Leaders Romania program and Adrian Vintilă, FEL Romania Communication & Media Manager.