We need all the talents in our society involved if we are going to tackle a challenge as big as achieving net zero. 

ReWiRE’s mentoring programme supports women in the clean energy industry to enhance their potential through career choices and working practices, develop their strategic and financial acumen, and build their professional networks and profile. It matches the experience of one person with the potential of another, building personal and strong bonds with senior women and men across the sector.

This initiative feeds into ReWiRE’s wider objectives to increase the visibility and profile of women working in the clean energy sector, and to support network participants to develop the skills to enable them to take positions on boards and in senior management across the sector. 

How does the programme work?

The programme specifically focuses on middle managers in the clean energy sector looking to move up to senior management positions and those currently working in senior management looking to move into board positions.

The process begins with a match-making event where prospective mentors and mentees have the opportunity to meet during a ‘speed dating’ style session.  At the end of the session, the mentees and mentors provide feedback on the chemistry before we pair them up. Once matched, the mentoring relationship can start. This usually lasts up to 12 months and will begin with an initial call to set objectives and timeframes.

View the mentoring guide for more detail on what the programme entails.

What do the mentors and mentees say?

The programme has been hugely popular since it began in 2015 and feedback from the most recent round has been glowing:

“I was really impressed with many of the mentees – their enthusiasm and preparation for working out their goals. It’s taken me longer than it should have to jump into the program, but I’m glad I have.” – Jo de Montgros, everoze (mentor)

“The mentoring scheme has been very good for me. [My mentor] has been brilliant in both listening but also providing advice and support when needed.” – Angeliki Loukatou, EDF Energy R&D UK Centre (mentee)

“Thank you so much for running the event and finding me a match…it was enjoyable and definitely a new experience to meet so many people in such a short space of time. I’m quite excited to be involved in something that is across the industry and involves so many other companies and people.” – Sally Young, Drax Group (mentor)

“I am privileged to be part of the ReWiRE mentorship programme, as it allows me to learn from an experienced woman leader in my industry.” – Faryal Rohail, Wase (mentee)

“It is always such a pleasure and uplifting experience to talk to so many diverse and interesting women!” – Penny Monks, Siem (mentor)

How can I get involved?

If you are interested in joining the network or signing up as a mentor or mentee, please get in touch contact Rachel Hayes, founder of ReWiRE , at rhayes@regen.co.uk to join the network and become a mentor/mentee.

‘Women like me’ provides a glimpse into the lives of women from across the clean energy sector, celebrating their successes, as well as sharing their lessons. We hope these will inspire many of you to seize a new opportunity and support you to become your best self.

We will need all the talents of society if we are going to tackle a challenge as big as achieving net zero. The vision of the Regen’s Women in Renewable Energy network (ReWiRE) is to make diversity a priority at all levels of the clean energy sector, making companies more resilient and able to innovate.

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Podcast guests

Sonya Bedford is a Partner with Stephens Scown solicitors, based in its Exeter office, and is head of the firm’s Renewable Energy team. Her strengths lie in dealing with wind farms, wind turbine acquisition, solar pv (domestic and commercial), anaerobic digestion, biomass and hydro. Sonya is also experienced in dealing with grid connection agreements, issues arising with Ofgem accreditation and funding of renewable energy projects. She is currently undertaking her MSc in Renewable Energy. Sonya assists with many community energy projects and is currently on the steering group for the Exeter Community Energy project and the working party for the Fossil Fuel Free Farming project with Bicton College.

Philippa is an infrastructure finance specialist within the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (part of the Cabinet Office). Prior to joining the UK Government in 2013, Philippa was a Partner at the professional services firm EY, and had previously been in investment banking for many years. In the IPA, Philippa advises Government departments on projects in the energy, transport, water, and digital sectors. For example, she recently led on the setting up of the £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund for electric vehicle charging.

Dr Cathy McClay is trading and optimisation director at Sembcorp Energy UK, which has the largest portfolio of distributed, flexible assets operating in the GB market. Cathy has 20 years’ experience in the electricity industry.  She has worked for a number of energy companies in the UK, France and the Netherlands, specialising in modelling and analysis for trading, risk management and strategy. Immediately prior to joining Sembcorp she was Head of Future Markets at National Grid SO where she was responsible for developing the GB electricity and gas markets.  A key focus was on opening up the ancillary serviced markets to new sources of flexibility such as demand side response.

Kayte is head of markets for the ESO, accountable for developing markets to enable future operation of Great Britain’s electricity system on the path to net zero. She joined National Grid PLC in 2002 and has held a wide variety of senior roles across the business, most recently as Head of Strategy and Regulation for the ESO. Prior to that she spent three years in Boston with National Grid’s US electricity distribution businesses. Kayte holds a first class degree in Business Economics and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Program for Leadership Development.

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• ‘The modus operandi of Gill Nowell, EV advocate and DSO Lead, Electralink’ – October 2018, Gill Nowell, Electralink

In this blog Gill explores the gender mix that she has experienced working in the world of eletric vehicles and energy networks.

• ‘Coaching to enable gender diversity’ – May 2019, Pamela Taylor, Taylor Macpherson

In this blog Pamela highlights the ways in which coaching can support women and men alike to take action and effect change to achieve gender diversity.

Project duration: June 2015- current

Robyn Lucas – Head of data science, Open Energi

A remarkable woman who is passionate about building a smart, flexible energy system for the future as well as encouraging more women into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) roles.

Read more here

Mareike Schmidt – Energy service manager, Bristol County Council

A visionary woman who has spearheaded Bristol City Council’s highly successful European Local Energy Assistance (ELENA) programme, while also championing the role of women in the UK renewable energy sector.

Read more here

Melissa Miners – Senior global affairs manager sustainable packaging, Unilever

An Olympian of communications and sustainability, Melissa is motivated by an intrinsic drive to protect and nurture the environment, while breaking-down barriers of public perception.

Read more here

Adriana Laguna – Low carbon technologies & external engagement senior manager, UK Power Networks

A gifted engineer and leader, Adriana Laguna uses her unique combination of industry know-how and policy development experience to drive innovation in energy distribution and to help bridge the gap between technical experts and decision makers.

Read more here

Cordi O’Hara – Director of UK System Operator, National Grid   

A dynamic woman who embraces and embodies the positive differences which women bring to a historically male dominated sector and who is a firm believer in ‘the art of the possible’.

Read more here

Louise Wilson – Co-founder, Abundance Generation

An inspirational woman that supersedes the banker rhetoric. Louise Wilson has established her place in the energy sector and her passion for a better future is truly catching.

Read more here

Maria Connolly – Partner, TLT

An extremely successful woman who has been motivated by renewable energy since day one, Maria Connolly has now established herself in a senior role as a partner for TLT.

Read more here

Liz Dunn – Partner, Burges Salmon

An inspirational woman who’s not afraid of challenges, Liz Dunn, chose law as a second career. She shared with us the story of her successes and the challenges she has faced.

Read more here

Bernice Roberts – Director and principal environmental planner, The Landmark Practice

An inspirational woman who has worked her way up the environmental industry, Bernice Roberts shares with us her story of how she became the head of planning and renewables.

Read more here

Sue Barr – External affairs manager, OpenHydro

An inspirational woman who has been championing marine energy for the last 16 years and has made groundbreaking achievements in national policy decisions.

Read more here

If you would like to appear here, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Led by: Rachel Hayes

Contact: rhayes@regen.co.uk

All of our steering group help to integrate the work of our network with others to ensure that we add value.

	Cheryl Hiles, director, Energy Capital As director at Energy Capital, Cheryl is driving forward the delivery of the Regional Energy Strategy and energy devolution ask, to ensure the West Midlands meets its clean growth, climate change and local industrial strategy goals. Prior to this, Cheryl was the sector director for energy and environment at Pell Frischmann design engineering consultancy, where she developed their business strategy and grew the profile and impact of the company’s work in these sectors.
	Bernice Roberts, director and principal environmental planner, The Landmark Practice Bernice is a Director of The Landmark Practice, where she heads up the planning team and is responsible for all renewable energy output. She has led on planning and EIA developments in a variety of renewables sectors, including wind, solar and energy from waste schemes across England and Wales. She has won the RTPI Environmental Planning and Protection Award, in recognition of her work to deliver the Bristol Port Company’s wind turbines, and also contributes to training for planners, developers and community groups, and under and post graduate students. Bernice is a firm advocate of equality in the workplace, demonstrated by Landmark’s preponderance of energetic female consultants (plus equally valued male colleagues!) and of ensuring career progression and a fair work life balance for all staff.
	Liz Dunn, partner, Burges Salmon Liz Dunn is a Planning Partner at Burges Salmon, specialising in renewable energy. Chambers 2014 says she is respected throughout the field for her extensive expertise in renewables projects. Sources praise her “attention to detail, quick turnaround, and ability to get to the heart of the matter quickly and give sound advice.” Liz started her career working in the theatre and retrained as a solicitor when her children were young. She is one of four planning partners at Burges Salmon with a team of twelve lawyers. Liz advises on a wide range of renewables projects, consenting the first offshore wind farm under the Planning Act regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects and advising extensively on onshore wind, biomass and anaerobic digestion. She is a member of Renewable UK’s Cymru strategy group and regularly speaks on consenting issues for renewables projects.
	Maria Connolly, partner, TLT Maria is head of TLT’s Energy and Renewables team and is rated by Legal 500 as outstanding. Maria has significant expertise in renewable energy projects, particularly in relation to wind, solar PV, hydro, AD and biomass. She acts for lenders and developers in relation to property matters, including acquisitions of existing renewable energy projects, drafting bespoke documentation, negotiation of exclusivity agreements, option agreements and leases and undertaking full due diligence. Maria has acted in relation to over 100 large scale wind projects and was at the forefront of advising developers and lenders in relation to solar PV, including one of the first to market with plain English solar PV documentation, which has been rolled out to thousands of installations nationally, as well as dealing with some of the largest solar arrays in the UK. Maria is independently recognised as an expert in energy & natural resources: renewables & alternative energy by Chambers UK, a guide to the legal profession.
	Dr Nina Skorupska, chief executive, REA Dr Nina Skorupska has over 25 years in the Energy Industry; Nina’s career began as a fuel specialist, but moved quickly onto power stations, which led to her being appointed as the first female Power Station Manager of RWE npower. Since that time, she has led a UK Energy Trading team for RWE, followed by being RWE npower’s Director of Technology Services. She has worked in Germany as RWE Group’s Director of Performance Improvement, where she went on to save them over 2 bn Euros on operating costs. From May 2010 until the end of 2012, as Chief Technology Officer, she was an executive member of the Board of Essent N.V., the Netherlands’ largest energy company, and responsible for Essent’s Generation portfolio and new energy developments. In 2012, Nina became a Supervisory Board member for DNV GL Energy in the Netherlands, a position that she continues to enjoy today. In July 2013, Nina took the helm of the Renewable Energy Association as its Chief Executive. In 2014, Nina joined the Board of Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and has recently been voted onto the Board of the European Renewable Energies Foundation (EREF).
	Sue Barr, environment and external affairs manager, OpenHydro Sue Barr is the External Affairs Manager for OpenHydro, a tidal technology developer. Following an early career in marine science supporting the offshore oil and gas industry, Sue joined a team of scientific advisors to the UK Government working on the first offshore wind arrays. Her work included early marine spatial planning, revision of maritime legislation, project development and advisory roles to UK Ministers on the first wave and tidal energy projects in UK waters. With 14 years’ experience of developing both the offshore wind energy and wet renewables industries, Sue has led on project development, policy, lobbying and the emergence of a marine renewables industry, both in the UK and internationally. A senior executive in OpenHydro and a qualified marine scientist, Sue represents OpenHydro externally, working with customers and regulators on managing project development. She plays a key role in driving renewable industry policy in the marine area, in the UK and internationally. A director of the largest tidal energy project in the UK, Sue also contributes to several national and international working groups on marine renewable energy policy, site selection, project development, and regulatory control of marine renewable projects.
	Sonia McCorquodale Cruise, commercial managing director, Welsh Water Sonia is commercial managing director at Welsh Water and managing director of Welsh Water Infrastructure, an asset investment company and Cambrian Utilities, a business retail company. She is responsible for the groups’ renewable energy portfolio, business retail proposition in the competitive market and developing new commercial proposition for the business in water, waste and energy. Sonia has worked in the energy sector for 20 years in the UK and internationally. She has extensive experience in commercial negotiations, commodity trading, risk management and origination across multiple sectors including physical commodities, power and renewable energy. She has project managed large teams and led on a range of large scale infrastructure projects divestments, acquisitions, debt finance transactions across biomass, biofuels, waste, AD and solar.
	Louise Wilson, co-founder and director, Abundance Louise Wilson is a co-founder and joint MD of Abundance, which provides long-term debt capital to infrastructure projects and regular capital and income to investors. With a current focus on renewables, both heat and energy, and on efficiency, Abundance lets individuals, both local and national, invest directly in specific projects of their choice from as little as £5. Abundance has launched fund-raisings for 12 projects for a total of £11.5m.
	Tanya Davies, head of development, Innogy Renewables (UK) Ltd Tanya leads a team developing wind projects throughout the UK. Tanya is a Chartered Town Planner with nearly 20 year’s experience who started her career in minerals and waste planning and moved into the wind industry in 2003. Since then she has primarily worked in Development, initially developing her own projects and then managing the Welsh and now UK teams. Under her leadership, the innogy team were the first to submit and consent onshore wind farms through the NSIP process and the only utility to successfully win CfD’s in the first auction. Tanya is passionate about maximising the opportunities for local businesses during wind farm construction and operation and is also keen to see more women in senior roles within the industry. She has a son and lives in South Wales, where she is often found on the beach walking her dog.

Find out more here.

Lead by: Rachel Hayes

Contact: rhayes@regensw.co.uk

Project duration: ongoing

The ReWiRE mentoring programme has been hugely popular and running since 2015. It specifically focuses on middle managers in the clean energy sector looking to move up to senior management positions and those currently working in senior management looking to move into board positions. 

A new round was launched over the Autumn 2019 and is ongoing to continue our work to see more women lead the transition to a clean, decentralised and flexible energy system. See full details of the EWiRE network here.

We recently ran three mentor-matching events, successfully pairing over 40 women with mentors. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive.

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“Having a mentor has been a really useful experience for me in a number of ways. It has been invaluable having someone to talk to outside of my company, as a third party opinion. My mentor has been great as she is friendly and approachable, and we have similar backgrounds and career trajectories. Because of this she has been able to give me relevant advice and guidance which has had a direct and positive impact on my career progression. I would highly recommend the mentoring scheme to anyone who is looking for the opportunity to develop themselves and wish to benefit from the experience of someone else.”

– Holly Pretious, marketing and communications manager, Marine Energy Wales

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To learn more about the programme and to apply to be either a mentor or a mentee, download our ReWIRE Mentoring Guide. The programme lasts for 12 months and should consist of a minimum of six sessions.

This initiative feeds into ReWiRE’s wider 2020 objectives to increase the visibility and profile of women working in the clean energy sector, and to support network participants to develop the skills to enable them to take positions on boards and in senior management across the sector. 

We need all the talents in our society involved if we are going to tackle a challenge as big as achieving net zero.

 

“Mentoring is a great way of sharing experiences, giving a different perspective and opening doors to networks that often seem closed.”

– Keith Anderson, CEO, Scottish Power

 

If you are interested in signing up as a mentor or mentee please get in touch. We welcome both male and female mentors, and female mentees. We will be running more matching events in the coming months, sign up to the network to be notified when these will take place.

Contact Rachel Hayes, founder of the ReWiRE network, at rhayes@regen.co.uk to join the network and become a mentor/mentee.