What we do
Driving gender diversity: Practical support for companies committed to improving their gender diversity and inclusion and for women to advance their careers. Click to view each pillar.
Support
Provide practical support for companies committed to improving their gender diversity...
Challenge
Encourage energy companies to improve gender diversity by highlighting those companies...
Connect
Run online and in-person events throughout the year to provide practical learning...
Who we work with
We would like to thank our core sponsors and partners for their dedicated support to our initiative, which allows POWERful Women to continue its activities in improving diversity and inclusion in the UK energy sector, providing practical support to companies and supporting women in their careers.
We also work very closely with our core sponsors in our efforts to drive change, as members of our Energy Leaders' Coalition.
For more information on the opportunity to become a sponsor, please contact Georgina Worrall at [email protected]
Our team
Georgina Worrall OBE, Head of POWERful Women
Georgina is the Head of POWERful Women, a professional initiative championing gender diversity at the top of the UK energy sector. In this role, she works directly with energy CEOs and DEI leaders to embed inclusive practices and hold organisations accountable for meaningful progress.
Our board
Monica Collings OBE, Chair of POWERful Women
Monica is an influential leader, well known for her contributions to the energy transition. Monica previously served as the award-winning Chief Executive of retail energy disruptor So Energy, where she led the successful merger with ESB Energy.
John MacArthur, Vice Chair of POWERful Women
John MacArthur held senior energy leadership roles at Shell and ADNOC, and as chair of OGCI Climate Investments. He was executive sponsor of the Shell Women's Network. John is now an energy transition and technology mentor, investor and non-executive director.
Emily Bourne
Emily Bourne is the director for Energy Systems and Networks at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. She has responsibility for policy on: the Future System Operator; electricity networks on and offshore; interconnection; and smart systems and flexibility.
Rubina Singh
Rubina Singh is a Private Equity and Venture Capital Investor at Foresight Group, which is investing to build a sustainable future and with £12bn in assets under management.
Elizabeth Baxter
Elizabeth Baxter is the former Director of Finance at Vårgrønn, an offshore wind company, with responsibility for Green Volt, Europe's first commercial scale floating offshore wind project.
Nick Wayth
Nick Wayth has held a broad career at the forefront of change in the energy industry as it adapts ever faster to tackling climate change. Nick spent nearly 22 years at BP plc in a broad variety of executive and management roles.
Tomi Issacs
Tomi Isaacs is D&I Business Partner at Bloomberg LP where she supports D&I strategy for the company's Corporate functions. Tomi has a notable career working on D&I strategy and was previously a Senior Director at Catalyst Europe.
Joanna Whittington
Joanna Whittington has held a number of senior roles in the energy and transport sectors and in economic regulation. She is currently an independent Non-Executive Director at SGN, a UK gas distribution business, and a Non-Executive Director at the Payment Systems Regulator.
Caroline Osler
Caroline Osler is a non-executive director, executive coach and strategic advisor with extensive experience in the aviation sector. As Chief People Officer for two British Airways airlines, she developed and delivered people strategies to support significant growth, transformation and improved gender representation in a highly regulated industry. Caroline continues to support organisations and leaders to achieve sustainable change, with a particular focus on inclusive leadership
Shelley Wheeler
Shelley Wheeler is Vice President, Portfolio Biofuels Growth at bp, leading portfolio strategy, investment prioritisation, and growth initiatives across the company’s global biofuels business. With more than 20 years of international leadership experience across Europe, North America, Africa, and the Middle East, she has built a career spanning strategy, commercial development, capital investment, and business transformation.
Before joining bp, Shelley held senior leadership roles at Shell, leading energy transition and Gas-to-Liquids investment opportunities. A strong advocate for diverse talent and inclusive leadership, she founded and led Shell Netherlands’ women’s network and continues to champion the development of high-performing teams, future leaders, and a more inclusive and sustainable energy industry.
Our young professional board members
Brit Pickering
Brit Pickering is the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Manager at the National Energy System Operator (NESO), where she is a key driver in the organisation’s approach to building an inclusive and equitable culture. Prior to this, she developed and delivered DEI initiatives at Warwickshire Police, working with diverse communities and supporting Staff Network Groups.
Brit is passionate about creating inclusive cultures and improving representation across the energy sector. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Global Sustainable Development and Law at the University of Warwick.
Isa Wasame
Isa is a Strategy Lead and Senior Analyst for the leadership team at James Fisher. He brings eight years of experience across the energy sector, working with major UK and global energy companies on complex operational and technology-led challenges. His work spans AI-enabled innovation, transformation strategy, and commercial intelligence, with a focus on supporting the energy transition.
Founders and alumni
Baroness Verma
Baroness Verma, co-founder of Powerful Women is currently sitting on the European Union Committee and chairs the EU External Affairs Sub-Committee. Baroness Verma served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development from May 2015 until July 2016.
Laura Sandys
Laura Sandys CBE, co-founder of Powerful Women is a business entrepreneur and political innovator. In both politics and the corporate world, Laura has campaigned for changes in food security, together with resource management and energy markets as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Energy Minister.
Ruth Cairnie
Ruth Cairnie is the former Chair of the POWERful Women initiative (from 2015-2022). She is also the Chair of Babcock International Group and the SID at Associated British Foods plc where she chairs the Remuneration Committee. She was previously on the boards of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, Keller Group plc and ContourGlobal plc.
Louise Kingham CBE
Louise Kingham joined bp in 2021 from the Energy Institute (EI), where she was CEO for 22 years, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience across a broad range of issues within the energy industry and beyond.
Francis Gugen
Francis Gugen is currently Executive Chair of SML, a biotech spin-out from Raft, commercialising a wound-healing device to heal without a skin graft; a world 1st in a $20bn market. Francis is also Vice-Chair & Chair Audit Committee of publicly quoted SBM Offshore NV; the world's largest offshore floating production facilities provider, with a market cap of £2.5bn operating 1% of the world's oil production.
Our story of impact: 10 years of POWERful Women
Over the past decade, POWERful Women has championed women leaders, challenged companies to act, and supported change across the UK energy sector.
Watch our story of impact and progress.