Tackling the energy transition – a defining challenge of our time
Red Rocket’s women leaders are helping to shape South Africa’s energy transition and the future of leadership within the sector. Engineering News speaks with Pamela Papapetrou, Investments Director, Red Rocket, about her work, the rapidly evolving renewable energy landscape and the opportunities it presents for women. Camerawork and editing: Miko Moodley.
“When I started my career at Goldman Sachs in New York in 2007, renewable energy was still an emerging asset class, heavily dependent on policy support,” says Pamela Papapetrou, Investments Director responsible for transactions, commercial negotiations and driving projects to financial close at Red Rocket.
“Watching the industry transform first-hand has given me a unique perspective on how far it has come and the opportunities that lie ahead.” Last year Papapetrou helped to close deals that will provide 700 megawatts of clean power in Africa.
While the industry has become far more inclusive, “there’s still progress to be made. What gives me confidence is the growing number of talented women entering fields once overwhelmingly male-dominated. My hope is that the next generation spends less time proving they belong and more time simply leading.”
She believes that diversity is a strategic advantage, with different perspectives leading to “better decisions, stronger innovation and more resilient outcomes.” Although research continues to demonstrate the link between gender diversity and stronger financial performance, “women make up only around a third of the global renewable energy workforce, with significantly lower representation in senior leadership.”
With a career that has spanned work across 20 countries, Papapetrou sees significant opportunities for women. “Few industries offer the combination of long-term growth, international opportunity and genuine purpose that renewable energy does. As the transition accelerates, it is expanding across project development, engineering, finance, trading, policy and ESG — creating multiple entry points and pathways.”
Her advice for the next generation of women entering the industry is to “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.”
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