louise kingham

Recognition creates inspiration…still, and is so very necessary

Louise Kingham OBE FEI Chief Executive

Louise Kingham OBE FEI
Chief Executive Energy Institute

 

 

The Karen Burt Award was launched in 1998 in memory of Dr Karen Burt, an eminent physicist and active member and Council office holder in The Women’s Engineering Society. She campaigned tirelessly to promote the recruitment and retention of women in science and engineering – a cause which is still very much alive and important today as it was when she first began simply because of the scale of shift we have to make.

This Award in particular recognises the best newly qualified female Chartered Engineer and aims to encourage more women to achieve Chartered Engineer status in either engineering, applied science or IT. This year’s winner, Clare Lavelle, was nominated by the Energy Institute so we were especially delighted for Clare when she won.

Clare works as an energy consultant for Arup, specialising in offshore energy: offshore windfarms, wave and tidal as well as oil and gas decommissioning. She inherited her interest in engineering from her father and his enthusiasm for technology.  She studied physics and maths and enjoyed the discipline and rigour of those subjects. Luckily, Clare had a reasonably rare influence in her life which many do not, so we still struggle to undo societal norms that work against the promotion of STEM careers to girls in particular – those influences which comes from our parents and the teaching profession largely who can often themselves be unaware of the real opportunities a STEM-based education can provide.

Clare finds working in the energy sector very rewarding because energy professionals and the decisions that they make have real impact on society, climate change and people’s quality of life.  So, rightly, she feels she is doing work that has meaning. Very many congratulations to Clare who now becomes an important role model for others to see and hopefully recognise a bit of themselves in.

All change please…

Louise Kingham

Louise Kingham OBE FEI,         Chief Executive, Energy Institute

 

 

 

In the last few months I’ve been involved in various settings – apparently co-incidentally- discussing how the energy industry is set to change and in some cases why it needs to, as well as what those drivers for change might be. For me this obviously directly leads to discussion about how the EI as a professional body and learned society with a unique proposition promoting and advancing energy knowledge, skills and good practice should prepare. The fora for these discussions have been varied – workshops about the role of a 21st century Institute; our own Brexit and Energy debate, listening to a keynote speaker talking about the outcomes of the CMA report, taking part in discussions promoting diversity of thought and better balance in energy companies, engagement in a review of how the engineering community is organised and of course the EI’s own consultation process with members and other key stakeholders about its future strategy. These are conversations I relish because they make you think and challenge the status quo. Some would say I like them too much but I think it’s what keeps you relevant and ready to adapt when it’s right to do so. They also challenge your creativity.

But it’s important to recognise that many fear change – in quite a natural way because it’s a fear of the unknown and a disruption to a comfort they understand. But for the energy industry, I believe there are some real challenges which mean there are opportunities to harness. Whether it’s putting the customer at the heart of the electricity system in a way which is ‘smart’ and makes best use of technology, or whether it’s new lower carbon business models for organisations heavily invested in fossil fuels. And there are many more I could mention. The point I leave you with is that the EI thinks long term, sees the opportunities and is ready to support energy professionals and their organisations on their journey.

P.S. Change can also bring frustration so if you have downloaded the latest apple operating system on your iPhone and iPad and now find your email tricky to work with go to settings, mail and switch off ‘organised by thread’. Members I’ve shared that one with this week have been delighted!

 

Joining the dots is a big ask…

Louise Kingham, EI Chief Executive

Louise Kingham, Chief Executive, Energy Institute

But it is not an impossible one in my view. Those of us that spend time working on it know only too well that energy policy is complicated. A book I have just finished reading illustrates it from the perspective of a former Secretary of State for Energy, which in itself was illuminating (for someone like me who has not worked in politics or the machinery of Government). But it wasn’t that that caused me to turn the pages, it was his central message that caught my attention because it’s something I have also been thinking about.

How do we get beyond the politics and other influences around ‘energy decisions’ so that we can actively evolve a system where traditional and new forms of energy sit alongside each other acceptably – increasing capacity and reinforcing the security of the system – which is not for a lack of fuel sources and, at the same time, drive energy efficiency, reduce energy intensity and carbon emissions in a connected and planned way? How do we do this rather than pitch options against each other when in reality all that does is make the macro outcomes – security of supply, emissions reduction and affordability – all the more difficult to achieve. Indeed some would go further and say energy decisions thus far have put us back, not moved us forward –  a view shared by the author of the book I refer to.

If the answer were simple and didn’t require great bravery, as well as ingenuity, then we would already be there. But, in the meantime, the EI has a responsibility to raise the debate and try to move the conversation forward. I hope a couple of forthcoming events and the publication of the EI’s second Energy Barometer report will help to do that. Firstly, our partnership with Elsevier brings you the Energy Systems conference on 14-15 June at the QEII Centre in London. At breakfast on the 15 June we will launch the second Energy Barometer report at the same venue and, later in the month, on 28 June in London, Sir David King HonFEI will receive the EI’s Melchett Award and give a lecture about the energy transition as he sees it. I’d commend all these events to you and encourage your participation to help move the conversation forward. I am also considering other events later in the year that we can host to debate specific aspects of our evolving energy system so if you have ideas to share with me on that then please feel free to get in touch – lkingham@energyinst.org

 

Facing the future head on

Louise Kingham OBE FEI Chief Executive

Louise Kingham OBE
Chief Executive

Gloom and doom casts a shadow across headlines about the oil and gas industry as economic slowdown and the continuing falls in commodity prices wipes millions off the value of stock markets around the globe. These circumstances are forcing companies to reshape their businesses with the inevitable pain of the impact this has on jobs, productivity, progress in the shorter term and the wider social impact which can be much longer lasting.

Industry cycles are expected – as are the’ ups and downs’ we experience when we’re in them. Clearly it’s important to ride the down times as well as you can but, at the same time, good leadership always has an eye on the future. Making time to think and understand how things will be different going forward and what that means for our organisations and so, being able to reposition to embrace change is essential.

At the same time, worldwide pledges have been made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the COP21 commitment. This takes engagement from the oil and gas sector and so, while managing the downturn, the industry is also examining  the challenges and opportunities these environmental responsibilities present.

With that in mind, listening to the impressive line-up of leaders gearing up to speak at International Petroleum Week in London in less than two weeks’ time to tell us how they are facing the future head on will be time well spent. Bob Dudley FEI from BP, Patrick Pouyanne from Total, Ayman Asfari FREng FEI from Petrofac and Igor Sechin from Rosneft are among the many taking part in presentations and panel debates between 9-11 February. I’d suggest you can’t afford to miss it.

Gearing up for the EI’s 2016 Energy Barometer

Louise Kingham OBE FEI Chief Executive

Louise Kingham OBE
Chief Executive

Although we only published the first Energy Barometer this year, it has already become a widely recognised and understood report by those that help to shape the energy world we, as energy professionals, work to sustain and develop.

From its launch in the Palace of Westminster to the desks of CEOs, to the offices of Ministers and senior civil servants to the national, local and trade media, the Barometer has travelled far and wide, encouraging debate and development of the discussion around knowledge transfer, innovation in energy developments, investment in energy technologies and engagement with customers. The EI has also begun work to address solutions to some of the challenges members raised.

Now it is time to develop the 2016 report. In 2015 we invited some members to form a College. We will soon be sending out invitations to some existing College members and, as we promised, extending membership of the College to new participants to balance continuity with the opportunity for wider participation among the Fellowship and Graduate members in particular. We hope you will want to contribute to this important work.

Officials within the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are also getting involved this time around to enhance the direct effectiveness of the useful resource that the Barometer has already become. The Barometer is an essential conduit for the energy professionals’ evidence to be heard – I hope you will add your voice to it.

Experience is something not easily transferred but must be keenly shared

Louise Kingham OBE FEI Chief Executive

Louise Kingham OBE
Chief Executive

The EI’s inaugural Energy Barometer report of members’ views on the industry’s important future challenges identified that developing a pipeline of energy professionals was a key concern for those at the heart of the energy industry today.

Respondents emphasised the urgent need to maintain the supply of skilled workers into established and developed sectors. They also express the need to preserve and transfer the knowledge of those preparing to leave the industry to a new generation. This is much talked about as an issue and there are some great examples of good practice within a number of companies in the sector, but it is incumbent in my view for every experienced energy professional to keenly share their knowledge and offer guidance to those that will succeed them. This way we ensure experience isn’t lost and good practice is shared.

As hosts of the POWERful Women initiative we have just launched POWERful Connections – a mentoring scheme led by CEOs in the industry to support those looking to lead the industry in the future. I was delighted with the overwhelming support we had from CEOs we approached to be mentors but interestingly those who could be mentored were not so ready to jump forward without encouragement. Currently we also support individuals with a mentor to help them achieve professional membership. Great support for the early professional and a complement to a mentor’s own CPD. These are two examples of what we do, however, we recognise that more needs to be done and we have plans to expand our offering to energy professionals here because support is needed across all demographics and for those returning from career breaks or with transferable skills from other industries.

As well as each of us encouraging others to be mentored and offering our support to do so we also need to develop programmes that are flexible, practical and light on administration to make them effective. As recognised energy professionals, please feel free to get involved.