Shruthi Govindarajan | Structural Engineer - II | Worley
While at school, Mathematics was my favourite subject and my strength in analytical skills and logical thinking were primary motivation factors for me to pursue Engineering as a profession.
I was fortunate to succeed in IITJEE, considered one of the toughest entrance examinations in India for admission into Engineering, and joined IIT Madras to pursue Civil Engineering. And here I am 11 years later still passionate about the subject and keen to make a difference in the field of Engineering.
I am a Structural Engineer with over seven years of global engineering and site experience and my role enables me to bolster the industry’s collective work to secure energy resilience by exploring and designing renewable sources of energy, and by sustainably extending the life of our current energy assets.
Through my career, I have had the opportunity to work with various clients such as TOTAL, Shell, Neptune, BP, Aramco with projects in various locations including North Sea, Saudi Arabia, Gulf of Mexico, etc. In my current role, I am part of the Advanced Analysis team and I help clients solve advance and complex problems in offshore energy platforms. My most recent work involved helping one of the clients to increase gas exports in an existing offshore platform by performing structural integrity checks and thus contributing to the sustainability of the asset.
I am also co chairing the Women's network at Worley and an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Laura Brock | CfD Delivery Manager | National Grid ESO
Laura is the Contracts for Difference Delivery Manager within National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), leading a team and working closely with the government to support new low carbon electricity generation projects.
She has over 16 years’ experience within the electricity business; in commercial, strategic and operational roles. Laura holds a degree in Law and before transitioning to the wider ESO business, undertook further legal training, with the completion of the Legal Practice Course.
Jacquelyn Fisher | Senior Project Engineer | bp
Jacqui Fisher is a project manager at bp with 9 years of experience delivering subsea projects.
Jacqui moved from the United States to the United Kingdom to attend Newcastle University where she obtained her master’s in chemical engineering. Whilst at bp she has been able to put her passion into leading teams and collaborating with suppliers into day-to-day action.
Jacqui has worked on projects spanning Egypt, North Sea, and Angola. Over her career, she’s taken on more responsibility and ownership, progressing from delivering major packages of a subsea equipment through to delivering a full project from concept through to production.
She started delivering various pieces of complex subsea hardware which are deployed on the seabed and control the flow of oil and gas to the processing facility for the WND project in Egypt. Then she moved to the North Sea, where she led internal and contractor teams to deliver operational support for subsea equipment leading to process and performance improvements. Off the back of this success in 2020 with less than 7 years of experience she was selected to lead the PSVM Infill Project in Angola, a three well subsea tie-in to existing infrastructure. Leading the project to an execute stage gate within nine months. She continued to lead the project through to a successful conclusion just 2 years after the Final Investment Decision the first well was brought online followed in quick succession by the other two wells. Most importantly the project was delivered with zero accidents or incidents.
Helen Owen | Senior Diversity Equity & Inclusion Specialist | National Grid
Thanks to some inspirational teachers, I always preferred STEM subjects throughout school, particularly maths.
I went on to study maths at university, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I wanted to continue in STEM. I started my career at National Grid in 2017 on the graduate programme. During the programme I got involved in outreach programmes. Following this I worked in construction contract management for 3 years, I worked my way up to Contract Manager of a large portfolio of overhead lines, underground cable and substation uprating projects enabling the connection of the new nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C. Throughout my time in contracts, I started getting involved in our Enabling employee resource group (ERG), supporting colleagues with disabilities, neurodiversity and health conditions. My passion for this work grew and eventually, I became co-lead of the ERG. I soon realised that despite my love for working in STEM, my calling was in diversity, equity and inclusion. I got more involved with DEI voluntarily until I was able to apply for a secondment in the DEI team at National Grid. I have now been promoted to a permanent position in our UK DEI team supporting our UK business and also working on and leading many Global DEI initiatives. I am blessed to be able to support our colleagues, present and future, to feel like they belong in the energy industry no matter who they are.
Hannah Kernthaler | Short Term Operability Manager | National Grid ESO
After obtaining my Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Warwick, I joined the National Grid graduate scheme.
With a strong sense that system operation was my area of interest, my first post enabled me to gain a working level knowledge of the network and a deep understanding of the limitations of the physical aspects of system operation with the experience of working in (almost!) real-time. The next post I pursued was to complement this role and broaden this deep understanding to cover a more complete picture of system operation.
With a great knowledge base, I then chose to do something completely different and I worked as a facilitator. This allowed me to develop this dynamic skillset which I have since been able to apply to every role I have undertaken.
From this point, I knew I wanted to lead people so I moved into a role which acted as a stepping stone to my first people leadership position, Operational Insights Manager. This role gave me great exposure to a range of projects and gave me opportunities to lead people. Earlier this year I moved to become the Short Term Operability Manager. My team’s goal is to manage all operability risks in the short term, no small feat when considering the operability risks faced in Winter 22/23!
I have two young girls. I am dedicated to building a culture where young girls can see women succeed in both work and family life, whatever that looks like for them.
Gemma Littlewood | DEI Strategic Lead / Project Manager | Oil Spill Response Limited
Gemma has worked for Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) for 17 years and now in the role of Strategic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Lead and Project Manager.
As Project Manager, Gemma is co-leading the organisation's 'Footprint for the Future' project, which looks to recommend and implement the future physical office and warehouse spaces needed by the organisation across its global Footprint. Gemma also leads the implementation of the DEI Strategy alongside her role as Project Manager.
Gemma is passionate about the synergy between establishing diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces in an organisational system design and translates this knowledge into supporting the Footprint for the Future Project, where future office and warehouse spaces alongside new working practices will be designed for the next 20 plus years.
Oil Spill Response Limited: OSRL is the world's largest international industry-funded cooperative which exists to respond to oil spills wherever in the world they may occur, by providing preparedness, response and intervention services.
Claire Huxley | Commercial Code Change Manager | National Grid ESO
I have been in my current role since April 2022.
The team I lead look after changes to the commercial frameworks that govern how organisations who connect to the electricity transmission network are charged and the process for connecting. It’s a key role for driving net zero as it’s such a central part of the energy network, creating the drive and investment that is needed. Previous to this, I lead a team that developed the frameworks with interconnectors and European system operators in a post-brexit world, after having been in procurement since I graduated with a degree in Economics and Politics. I joined the procurement graduate scheme at National Grid in 2014, which provided a fantastic foundation of commercial understanding, working with lots of different stakeholders and project management. My passion was really in working at the heart of energy, so when an opportunity came up in the system operator to work in the European team, I jumped at the chance to make a change. I’m very grateful for the skills and knowledge that I developed during my 5years in procurement, and I now get to use them to shape and develop electricity markets.
I also lead a network of engagement Champions across the ESO, supporting and driving engagement plans that improve everyone’s experience of working here.
In my spare time I am a volunteer boarder for Guide Dogs, and have boarded 10 dogs since 2018.
Catherine Podesta | Offshore Installation Engineer | SSE
On completion of my master’s in mechanical engineering I joined bp where I had the opportunity to work in a diverse variety of roles within projects.
I started on the graduate scheme in Project Controls, learning the skills needed to help keep a project on schedule and within budget.
However, I had a desire to apply my engineering experience and jumped at the opportunity to work offshore on a construction vessel. This showed me my passion for subsea construction, and it allowed me the opportunity to learn from a diverse team and experience firsthand the challenges of working on site.
From there I managed the regional construction vessel program and contract for bp North Sea, which allowed me to influence safe and efficient offshore execution for the business. After which I moved to awarding and managing the services contract for subsea hardware in Mauritania and Senegal including new region entry for the contractor.
Following 8 years at bp I wanted to use the skills I had learnt to support the UKs transition to Net Zero. I moved to SSE Transmissions to help stand up the Marine function in the business and provide technical input into the network upgrades needed to support the UK's ambitious targets set out in the government's British Energy Security Strategy. Working with the head of development I am working on initiatives to streamline our procurement and front-end design to allow us to meet the 2030 targets.
Alexandra Lawson | Commercial Advisor - Integrated Energy Solutions Europe | Shell UK
After first thinking a career in dentistry was what her future had in store, one work experience week and root canal treatment later, Alexandra changed her mind and explored what the world of STEM had to offer.
Growing up in Glasgow, Alexandra was far removed from the world of oil and gas three hours north, but through influential role models and supporters, Alexandra graduated with a Masters in Chemical Engineering from the University of Strathclyde and has since found herself immersed in the energy industry.
Skilled in supply chain optimisation and operational strategy, Alexandra has had a fantastic career in the energy sector to date. Having started her career as an operations engineer, Alex now combines her frontline experience with her commercial acumen, working as a Commercial Advisor within the Integrated Energy Solutions team at Shell, helping customers decarbonise through onsite energy solutions to achieve their net zero ambitions.
Outside of her 9-5 responsibilities, Alexandra is passionate about advocating for the future pipeline of STEM talent. She channels enthusiasm through her additional responsibilities as a member of the Women in Science & Engineering Young Professional’s Board and sponsorship of Northeast Scotland College’s Girls in Energy Program.
Throughout Alexandra’s education, her favourite part of attending industry presentations was watching someone present, feeling completely inspired and thinking “one day, I want to be like them.” She is on a mission to be that role model for others and to light their spark for science and engineering, just like others did for her.
Aasha Marenghi | Subsea Project Manager | bp
Aasha is a Subsea Project Manager for bp, leading a global project team to deliver the subsea production system for bp’s complex ultra-deepwater gas project offshore Mauritania and Senegal.
With a background in mechanical and subsea engineering, for the last fifteen years she has held a variety of subsea project management roles in bp and the energy industry, with a strong track record of major project deliveries in West Africa and Egypt.
She has a passion for project leadership, leading teams to tackle complex challenges, and creating team spirit and purpose around a project mission.
Throughout her career, Aasha has built trust and respect through authentic and inclusive relationships across a diverse network. She prides herself in creating a mutually supportive and psychologically safe environment for her team to operate in, and in providing space for individuals to work flexibly to be at their best.
Aasha has been part of the working group for bp’s ‘Women in Projects’ community, organising and hosting network events; and is also a coach and facilitator for bp’s project management training courses.
She is a Chartered Engineer with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, and a Chartered Project Manager with the Association of Project Managers.