Earlier this month you were awarded an OBE at Windsor Castle, which is an amazing achievement. What did that mean to you?

It was a huge honour. It was just the most fabulous day and to share it with my family was amazing. The whole experience has been surreal, but the thing that has really blown me away has been the support in response to me getting the OBE, which actually has meant more to me than the award itself. I’m now in the space of, OK, now I’ve got it, how do I use it productively for further good? So it’s a real mixed emotion piece but fundamentally just surreal and a huge, huge honour.

You were awarded the OBE for services to net zero and diversity in the energy sector. Can you tell us a bit more about your work supporting women in energy?

I’m one of the co-founders of the Women’s Utility Network (WUN) which we started eight years ago. And it started from a group of us sat around the lunch table recognising that whilst we all had senior roles in our organisations, the statistics were woeful in terms of female representation throughout the whole utility sector, particularly in senior roles We were all determined to do something to improve those statistics Right from that first lunch, the guiding lights were that whatever it was it had to be practical support for women and it had to be freely accessible – you shouldn’t have to pay because you’re a woman. So that set the business model and it’s really chimed with so many people. And I’m just beyond proud that we’ve now grown to 11,000 members and we’re now really being able to have an impact, even at government level.

What do you think are the biggest challenges that women face in the sector and what do you think needs to be done about it?

I think the energy sector can be quite a lonely place to be as a woman. The further up an organisation you go, the tighter the pyramid, and I think a lot of women get to a certain level and then step out of the sector because actually it’s exhausting if you’re the only woman in the room on a consistent basis. That’s why finding support – finding your tribe – is so important. I’m a massive believer in inclusion and diversity because different thoughts and different perspectives bring real benefits to a business. You can see it and you can feel it where that actually works. Thrive being a really good example.

What developments in the sector are you most excited about right now?

We’re recording this in a really difficult time when the Iran war is really quite scary. But I think if you take a step back and you look at where the sector is, we now have clear signals in terms of renewables.

The evidence is there in spades, in terms of we have to get off fossil fuels, and it feels like the snowball is now unstoppable. And that for me, from where I started 30 years ago to now, is hugely positive. I think the interweave of energy, of heat, of transport, of housing, is becoming increasingly important because the solutions come from bits of all of them. And I think that’s where I can see, particularly with the growth of technology and AI, those things beginning to accelerate and really move forward together.

What do you think are some of the biggest challenges facing the sector right now?

I think policy certainty is always the biggest challenge and has been throughout my 30 years in the sector. Policy pace is also incredibly frustrating. We often spend so long consulting and developing policy, that actually the market has moved on in the meantime. I think from a regulation perspective, it’s just a fact that regulation was designed for the old energy system when we had few players and just large fossil fuel fired generation. And we’ve tinkered ever since then, but we’ve not fundamentally changed. That causes a lot of unintended consequences in the market, which are not necessarily helpful. Geopolitics too is a massive challenge, both before the Iran war and increasingly so now. I mean, it really is quite terrifying how interlinked geopolitics and our energy landscape is. And so it’s one that we need to keep a really, really close watch on.

As the Chair of Thrive’s Board, could you share with us how you feel about working with Thrive?

I have the absolute privilege of being the Chair of the Thrive Board, which is a joy. And I work with some really great people on the board. What makes the board really successful, is that it’s very diverse. So we’ve got a real range of age, experience, male, female and different nationalities contributing. But we all share a common purpose. We’re all very driven in terms of Thrive’s mission and bringing energy and people together. And I think that gives us real strength and momentum. Whilst we have this really clear purpose and action, we’ve also got very strong governance, risk management and commerciality. So it’s that balance between doing the right thing but doing it well. And I think the results speak for themselves.

What advice would you give to somebody looking to pursue a career in renewable energy?

Number one, do it. I’ve been in this industry for 30 years and I originally thought it was going to be quite boring, but actually it’s the most fascinating place to be. I think it’s really important to remember that renewables is not just about STEM. We really need STEM expertise in the sector, but actually there are so many different roles within the sector that you can find opportunities whatever your skill set. And actually, really importantly for me, the transition to net zero gives a real sense of common purpose whatever discipline you work in. And I think there’s a common theme among people who work in the sector that we’re doing something that’s good, both for people and planet. And that has huge personal reward. So do it and be curious. Go and ask lots of questions. Go and get stuck in. Have a go and see where the path takes you.