Much of the energy transition story is told in megawatts and the billions of rands that drive the lofty ambitions underpinning it.
But projects don’t finance, build or operate themselves. Behind every wind farm, solar plant and transmission project is a growing network of people making decisions about money, risk, regulation, sustainability and commercial viability.
And increasingly, women are occupying those seats.
At Red Rocket, four women directors are doing precisely that – across finance, investment, Sustainability and Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) and legal affairs.
Their careers, and the perspectives they bring to the boardroom, offer a useful lens into how South Africa’s energy industry landscape is changing.
Not simply because more women are entering the sector, but because the sector itself is becoming more complex.
As Jean Wessels, Finance Director, puts it: “Renewable energy also brings together many disciplines, from finance and engineering to project development and, increasingly, energy trading capabilities, which means there is no single route into a long-term career in the industry.”
The money behind the megawatts
For Pamela Papapetrou, Investments Director, the transformation is something she has watched first-hand.
When she began her career at Goldman Sachs in New York in 2007, renewable energy was still an emerging asset class, heavily dependent on policy support.
Today, she is responsible for transactions, commercial negotiations and driving projects to financial close – and last year she helped close deals that will provide 700MW of clean power in Africa.
But perhaps more revealing than the numbers is what she believes needs to change in the industry.
“There’s still progress to be made,” she says.
Her hope is that the next generation of women entering the sector spends “less time proving they belong and more time simply leading”.
Because the energy transition does not have time for people to spend years establishing that they deserve to be in the room.
Papapetrou describes diversity as a strategic advantage, with different perspectives contributing to “better decisions, stronger innovation and more resilient outcomes”.
And her advice to women entering the sector?
“Take the difficult assignment, ask questions, dive deep into the content, understand the challenges and complexities and remember that even the youngest perspective can add value at the table.”
Finance is no longer just about the numbers
Wessels, who oversees Red Rocket’s financial operations, compliance, planning and strategy, knows something about being the only woman at the table.
She was initially one of the few women presenting group financials in the boardroom. Since then, she has watched the industry make space for broader skills, perspectives and leadership styles.
Her approach to leadership is summed up by an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”
Sustainability is not a department
Magdalena Michalowska-Logan, Sustainability and HSEQ Director, joined the renewable energy industry 15 years ago.
At the time, she was often the only woman at the table.
Today, she sees a sector offering opportunities across engineering, environmental management, finance, sustainability, operations, technology and leadership.
That evolution matters because the energy transition is not just about producing cleaner energy.
It is about how projects are developed; how communities are engaged; how environmental impacts are managed and how companies build trust with stakeholders.
For Michalowska-Logan, leadership is therefore not defined by a job title.
“It’s about bringing diverse perspectives to complex challenges and demonstrating that leadership is defined by capability, integrity, and impact. The industry is stronger when it reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.”
That is particularly relevant in an industry increasingly operating at the intersection of infrastructure, communities, land, investment and economic development.
‘Jump in and create space for yourself’
Then there is Nichola Walker-Woodard, Director of Legal Affairs, whose career has spanned corporate law, business, international policy and diplomacy.
Her world is one of governance, risk, regulation, commercial judgement and the complexities that sit behind getting large infrastructure projects off the ground.
“The sector is changing monthly from new technology, finance structuring and market liberalisation. We are making decisions with imperfect information while helping to establish where this industry is going.”
For women entering the sector, Walker-Woodard has this bit of advice: “Don’t wait for your work to be recognised. You may be brilliant at what you do, but you need to have a voice that accompanies that. Jump in and create space for yourself.”
