Celebrating Women in the Workplace

With the UK’s largest businesses recently hitting their target of having 40% of board seats held by women a full two years ahead of schedule, we can see equity is on the up – with still a way to go.

However, when it comes to CEOs, female leadership still falls short. Female CEOs who were promoted to the position within the FTSE 100 have had to work an average of two years and eight months longer than the men also securing the top job. From the top down, from bigger businesses to smaller ones, the likelihood of a woman in leadership falls even thinner.

That’s why we’re proud to be a growing renewable energy company with a female CEO at the helm, steering our way.

Meet some of the women in renewable energy

With the renewable energy sector growing more and more every day, we couldn’t be prouder about the work we do – and the people behind it all.

This International Women’s Day, meet some of the women in renewable energy (in Egg, to be exact) and hear about their journeys through their careers to now land in the world of clean energy, helping to lead the way to a much greener future.

Julie - CEO

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I started in Telecommunications in 1996 with Telewest Communications – which became Virgin Media. All of this led to me working directly with Liberty Global before the opportunity arose to take up the CEO role at Egg.

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

When the opportunity developed within Liberty Global to work in the Energy Ventures team, I just thought how it was an amazing time to go and learn in the Renewable Energy industry. It’s exciting, it’s the future, and it’s an industry where you can really make a difference to people’s lives, whether in the Consumer world or in the Business world.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

People Culture – the belief that everyone is working as one team, and everyone understands the purpose and the values that we are operating with.  People are able to be open about what is good/not so good, what works/doesn’t work, what we need to change, and what we need to keep doing.

I truly believe in an open and honest culture. I also value diversity, as this really contributes to a balanced workplace. 

Finally, I also value fun in the workplace. We need to laugh, and we need to enjoy being at work. So that is a major part of our working relationships.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

I would say to believe in myself, listen to feedback and use it purposefully, but also listen to that inner voice that says “you can do this… you have got this.”

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

To people in this industry, I would say work together to face the big challenges and develop together as the industry is so nascent that what is true today will not be true tomorrow, so it’s a constant change and shift. 

To people in a similar role, treat your people as best you can. Create a ‘togetherness’ culture, and they in turn will look after your customers and be fantastic advocates of the business and ultimately that will drive your bottom line.

Jodie - Business Control Analyst

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I started my career at the young age of 18, taking the atypical decision not to attend university. Instead, I threw myself into full-time employment in recruitment managing an office of 20 people.

Push forward a few placements and successful hires, I soon found myself flourishing within IT project management implementing a wide spectrum of IT software for domiciliary care branches across the nation. Unfortunately, Covid then struck and, for a short period of time, I found myself among the many looking for employment. This is where I stumbled across Egg. The opportunity to dive straight into a new challenge was too good to turn down.

Fast forward through many government grants, distribution network applications, and lots and lots of commercial invoicing, I’m now a fully-fledged member of the finance team, managing and supporting the accounts as well as assisting in business control and capital allocation. After having a whirlwind and diverse career to date, finance has certainly been my most taxing and rewarding role. I look forward to many more years of growth!

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

A sense of a new challenge. A challenge which is the future. The drive to be part of the green revolution. Knowing my expertise makes a difference.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

I value a workplace that harnesses the opportunity for employee growth and development. I once read a quote which said “an empowered and enriched workforce is the backbone of a company’s success framework.”

There is nothing more valuable and inspiring than an employee who has made it to the top by starting at the bottom.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

Keep going against the grain. Keep breaking the consensus. When you hear the word ‘no’, get back up and go again. Most importantly, keep challenging!

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

Embrace the days when you feel challenged – this is where you grow. Ask questions and keep asking questions this is where you learn.

Karen - Head of FCA Compliance

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I started at the Yorkshire Building Society, moving into systems development audit when there was one PC for the entire office!

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

It was a role opportunity which has been one of the most interesting and rewarding, in terms of Egg’s FCA authorisation so it can offer consumer credit.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

People, purpose, honesty, and fairness.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

Be kinder to yourself. You don’t have to get everything right the first time – and enjoy every experience.

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

Know your ethical boundaries, and work positively.

Pam - Sales Team Manager

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I started working in renewables when we were TPW (The Phoenix Works) in May 2019. I had no idea at the time what I was getting involved in and that it would be the best decision of my life.

I started as an account manager, but my manager quickly realised that I had a passion for selling and not so much for admin. So she decided to allow me to turn to sales and created an admin team. The rest is history.

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

I saw the job advert and thought “wow that looks interesting!” Coming from a banking background, I wanted a new challenge and thought this sounded amazing. I also just had my son and thought working somewhere like this will have a great impact on his future.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

I love that Coralie recognised my strengths and didn’t force me to sit in a role that didn’t best suit my skill set. To create a whole department (Sales) that didn’t exist before I arrived and allow me to grow and develop a department and break the mould – I will forever be thankful for that.

Ash and Julie have continued that and allowed me to grow and develop the team, noticing that I had a passion for training and development: growing the sales team, teaching people to be the best they can be, and allowing them to grow and develop their career in the renewable sector. I love that I work in a company that recognises people’s skills and allows them to become the best version of themselves.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

Just go for it!! You can achieve anything you put your mind to and don’t let anyone put you in a box. Just be you and the rest will follow.

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

Soak up all the knowledge that surrounds you, ask all the questions, and take notes. The more you know, the better you will be. You can do this!!!

Tash – Head of Products

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

It’s definitely been a little bit of a squiggly career path to get to where I am now… and it all started with skiing and ski lifts.

The first time I saw a ski lift, I just couldn’t get over the fact that this piece of engineering carried people up mountains like it was no big deal. This sense of awe and the possibilities of what people can build and design, combined with my love of maths and physics, was the reason I went to Leeds to study engineering.

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

I actually started my career in the darker side of energy, working in oil and gas. I was based offshore in the North Sea with my hard hat and coveralls on, drilling for oil with a company called Schlumberger.

I loved knowing my work had such an impact. Energy is critical for everything and I loved that what I did mattered. That’s where my interest in energy and how we power the world really sparked.

I spent a few years learning the ropes of fieldwork, geology and drilling, working in a number of amazing places around Europe. However, I was also really interested in sustainability and renewable energy and, to be honest, the oil and gas industry didn’t quite cut it for ticking those boxes. I was living in Hong Kong at the time and made the decision to go back to university to get the right level of training for me to switch industries.

Moving back to the UK, I landed an amazing job working in the Innovation Team at Tonik Energy which is where the career I’m in now really started.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

The ability for everyone to have a seat at the table and be heard.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

To say ‘yes’, believe in yourself and be brave. Everything will work out… and sometimes that means ignoring advice, quitting a very stable, well-paid job with serious uncertainty on the other side and moving halfway around the world.

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

As above…. Believe in yourself and be brave!

Lauren - Senior Buyer

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I began my career as a Buying Assistant for George at Asda after finishing a business degree from Manchester Metropolitan University.

At Asda, I started working in the Furniture department across bedroom and living and was then promoted to Co-ordinated and Filled Bedding. In this role, I was primarily responsible for choosing designs and developing products for in-store and online ranges, forecasting sales and arranging promotions to boost company revenue.

After two and a half years at Asda, I made the move into the medical industry as throughout my time in the soft home environment I came to realise I was more drawn to the more commercial side of buying rather than product development.

I spent two years as a Buyer and then was promoted to managing the Procurement team at a Medical Device company based in Leeds. This role was very varied and included a lot of travel, supplier development, inventory management and developing Procurement processes in the business.

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

Being environmentally friendly has been very important to me both professionally and personally and, as I was looking for another opportunity, I was really drawn to working for a company that has green values that mirror my own.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

Within the workplace, I massively value collaborative, cross-functional working which is definitely prevalent within Egg. I also value an environment that is not afraid of change and continuous improvement!

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

Make sure you are an expert at the small operational tasks and build your knowledge and roll up from the bottom.

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

Take the rough with the smooth and make sure you learn from each experience.

Ellie - Senior Operations Manager

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I started as a teacher of GCSE English Language and Literature around 10 years ago. After a few years, I realised battling with teenagers to read Romeo and Juliet wasn’t my chosen career path, and I began a place on Aldi’s Area Manager Graduate Scheme. I spent 5 years at Aldi in various different roles, but decided in 2022 that I was ready to push myself out of my comfort zone and look for something new. I joined Egg in September 2022 as a Senior Ops Manager in the Sales team and haven’t looked back since!

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

The thought of pursuing a career in an industry I knew very little about was really exciting to me and it was an industry that I knew I’d be proud to be a part of.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

The people - they make the good days great and the bad days bearable!

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

Don’t worry – you’ll figure it out! (Still hoping I will!)

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

Go for it! We’re all figuring it out together 😊

Grace - Head of Operations

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I have had a very varied career. I have a Diploma in Equestrian Business Management and then, due to injury, I moved out of the Equestrian world. From here, I landed in the Events & Hospitality world, where I worked in silver service, events planning and finally working as the Assistant Manager at Frankie & Benny’s, Meadowhall.

I applied for a temp role within Virgin Media back in 2016 when I was expecting my first child, then I was successful in the Planning Partner area of NetEx for 6 months, before being offered an FTE contract to return to the world of VM and returned to work in the June of 2017.

I worked within a few departments, but the majority of my time was in the Build arena from June 2018 to Feb 2023. When I went into the Build arena, I can honestly say I was bamboozled by the jargon and this whole new language that I had to become accustomed to… and quickly. I learnt so much from my peers and team which enabled me to progress from being the Build Manager to the Head of Build covering the Yorkshire region. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at VM02. I learnt more than I ever have in the past 5 years – who knew I had such an interest in the world of Civils and Engineering?

I have very recently moved over to Egg, to the world of clean energy, EV charging and solar and storage – and what an exciting space to be in right now! I could not be happier that I have joined this industry and I am so excited to learn all about this new world.

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

What an exciting industry to be in! With the cost-of-living crisis, I want to be a part of making people’s lives a little “easier” by delivering cracking energy with cracking people.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

You are at work for a long time, so being happy in the workplace is vitally important. The people are so important to this, of course, so building a culture of genuine trust and empowerment is critical. I also have a family which consists of 2 young children but am extremely career-focused and driven (sometimes maybe too much so?), so to have a work/life balance is also important.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

I have always classed myself as “not academic”, comparing myself to my brother who has a 2:1 degree in Anthropology and my mum who has a 2:1 Law degree with Criminology.

I have always learnt best on a visual/physical basis and therefore have naturally been a hands-on type of person. Since being in the Telecoms industry, and now the world of renewable energy, who knew I would be so interested in the technical/engineering side of things? If I could rewind time, I would have loved to do an apprenticeship in Engineering. I know when I was younger, I would have written this off had I been given the opportunity as I would not have believed I was capable.

My advice would be if you are comfortable, you are not pushing yourself enough!

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

Make it your mission to change someone’s perspective. People have often “judged a book by its cover” when they first met me. There are a certain few people who did this that I will always remember, they have turned out to be some of the best colleagues I have ever worked with which then turned into a friendship that I foresee as friends for life.

Ash - Head of B2C Sales

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

My journey started in fashion, working across the UK and loving the life of being surrounded by beautiful clothes. However, I wanted to try something completely different so moved into telecoms where I spent 12 amazing years at Virgin Media, now VMO2.

In my 12 years, I was given the opportunity to do a variety of roles from front-line sales, regional retail sales and strategy & transformation. Then the opportunity came up to work in an exciting new industry.

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

Taking my learnings and experience from telecoms, I knew I could apply this to the renewable energy industry and truly make a difference. Making the move to a new role, in a new sector, was a daunting one. However, brave actions get great results. So I took the leap and here we are! My best career move to date.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

I value the people. Always. Everyone who knows me knows the importance I put on leadership and our people. Any goal we have in a business is driven by the people who work there. Shared objectives, telling the story along the way, celebrating successes, and bouncing back quickly from any knocks are my formula for how we succeed.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

More of a quote than advice, but it remains my go-to if I ever have a wobble (we all have them!).

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

Be brave, build relationships and be yourself. Do not underestimate the power of you. It’s your superpower!

Jade – Project Manager

When and where did you start your journey to the career you now have?

I was not academically smart at school, and I was told by a few teachers I wouldn’t get into university (which I didn’t). I had no idea what I wanted to do but knew I wanted something that was more than a 9-5 job. I started working in a blue block factory in the production of bleach products when I finished school and I tried to work out what I wanted to do in life.

I applied to Virgin Media after I turned 22 and was successful in securing a place as an Order Manager at VMB. I worked hard to learn the products and knew I wanted to progress further and was looking for other career avenues, which my manager at the time did not support me in. Seeing Julie (Egg’s CEO) in her position in VMB at the time, I saw an instant role model in her, seeing how far she had come and just being a total boss woman in a male-dominated environment. I finally felt inspired.

I reached out to Julie and explained how I wanted to progress but was unsure what options were available to me or where I could even start. Julie set up weekly mentor groups for me with different people across the business, which is where I finally fell in love with Project Management. From that point, I worked even harder and worked in a few different companies where I gained my Prince 2 qualification and years of experience in the PM industry dealing with WAN and infrastructure builds.

Now I have done a full circle back under LG umbrella working with Egg as a more experienced young woman with the confidence to know the importance and quality I bring to the team and company.

What brought you to the renewable energy industry?

Renewable energy is the future and I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. The world is changing, and with it, in the business world, we also need to be able to adapt to change at a flick of a switch. It is an interesting sector, and knowing you are helping your customers and putting a positive output to the environment gives me great job satisfaction.

What do you value the most in a workplace?

People. There is no better feeling than when you have a solid support network around you, where you have the confidence and someone you trust to bounce ideas with, and the willingness to support and problem solve together.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self, just starting out in your career?

Never stop learning. I never imagined I would be smart enough from my experience at school to gain a qualification. Then at 28 years old, I started a two-year night college course doing an HNC in Construction Management. I continued working full-time while studying online and in the classroom. During this, I also completed a three-day course building a solar wind turbine from the ground up in a Supporting Women in the Field course. Then, last year, I graduated college with my HNC in Construction Management and it is the proudest moment I have ever had to date.

And advice to people in your industry or in a similar role?

There is nothing you cannot achieve if you want it enough.