The electrical manufacturing industry is dynamic and has experienced wide disruption and progression over the last decade. Rising global trade disputes and geopolitical tensions are increasing costs and cutting margins. At the same time, the regulation forcing decarbonisation is disrupting existing business models and demanding immediate capital investment.
Tackling these challenges long-term requires a strong focus on people, and gender diversity can help companies gain a competitive advantage. At CWIEME Berlin 2024, Kaitlin Vandemark, CAPEX and Indirect Category Manager for Hitachi Energy, spoke to four industry leaders who are working to encourage a more diverse workforce and have seen the benefits in action.
Why are you passionate about empowering women?
Irem Unlu Demir, Head of Power, Global Key Accounts, Shell: Turkey has a very patriarchal culture, and the field I chose was heavily dominated by men, so I began my career as part of a minority. However, it wasn’t just gender that posed challenges — age and educational background were significant hurdles as well. In my education, I was taught not to speak up, question or challenge, because my teachers were considered the ultimate authorities. This background made it difficult to challenge superiors in the workplace.
My first job was at a company in Istanbul, the largest privately owned company in Turkey at the time. Despite its size, it was steeped in local cultural norms. No women held senior leadership roles and the company chairman only communicated with people one level below him.
This changed when I joined Shell in 2002. The cultural shift was immense, moving from a local company to a multinational corporation with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. To my surprise, in my first week at Shell I was asked to present at an event in Italy in front of nearly 200 colleagues. I remember terrible stage fright, but the support from the audience was overwhelming.
In 2003, shortly after joining Shell, I was appointed as the crude oil trader for the North Sea in London. This was a significant risk for the company, as I had no prior experience working abroad. Yet, they trusted my performance, which underscores the importance of taking risks and trusting employees.
After my assignment in London, I returned to Turkey and became the supply director for Shell subsidiaries there. Over 90 per cent of my team and peers were male. During my tenure, I transformed the team to be 50 per cent female, inspiring other subsidiaries to follow suit.
Organisations like Shell, which truly walk the talk and make diversity and inclusion more than just concepts, take real steps towards change. As individuals, sharing our experiences is crucial. If I can help accelerate any woman’s career, support them with coping strategies for their struggles, or positively impact their lives, it makes me a happier, more content person.
Have you ever experienced a challenge with a person in leadership who has not valued diversity and inclusion?
Javiera McGuiggan, Assistant Vice President, Global Business Leader, Cargill BioIndustrial – Power Systems: Sadly, yes, but I’m passionate about sharing this message because it’s important to understand that these issues still exist. Even at my level as a global director of a very successful business, I had a boss who wanted to control every aspect of my work. He insisted on reviewing every email and forbade me from speaking to his colleagues without his approval. He wanted to be the sole messenger, which went beyond micromanagement — it was complete control.
This experience taught me that assuming we’ve made progress simply because women hold certain positions is a mistake. It’s easy to tick the box and say, “We have X percent of women” or “We have women in leadership.” However, if you place such controlling leaders on top, you undermine the essence of diversity.
Diversity aims to bring different voices and opinions to the table. If women aren’t given the authority to make decisions or have a fair say, the purpose of diversity is nullified.
For a time, I felt like I was just there to check a box, and my voice wasn’t truly heard. I received many comments that highlighted how much support we still need, especially from allies who can call regressive behaviour out. Comments about my style being “too much” or me being “too loud” or “unpredictable” were common. But I never acted unpredictably or against the rules; it was just a perception of being uncontrollable.
Another example was when I organised activities for Latino employees in the diversity group. I was warned not to do too good a job, as it might lead to more responsibilities and distract from my “real” job. This highlights the risk of superficial diversity initiatives — ticking the box without truly committing to change.
Today, I feel Cargill provides a great environment. However, it only takes one person to silence you and undo the progress, so this issue isn’t over.
How can mentorship help boost diversity?
Georges Houtappel, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Automotive Business, Syensqo: I firmly believe that both allyship and mentorship are crucial in an organisation. It’s essential to have male executives actively supporting the development of women. While many male colleagues claim to support this, I believe that active mentorship is the additional step needed.
Often, female candidates hesitate to apply for certain positions because they feel underqualified. I learned a small trick from my own mentor that can help get more women into roles that are right for them. It involves keeping a list of female colleagues on the last page of my notebook.
In leadership meetings, when discussing critical positions that are opening, I refer to this list and highlight potential female candidates. Then I encourage potential candidates to put themselves forward for positions they might not have thought of applying to otherwise.
For example, one of my mentees last year was about to start maternity leave and had been offered a promotion. She initially gave several reasons why she couldn’t take the offer, even though she was interested. Her hesitation stemmed from the fear of leaving her comfortable environment and managing a new job while simultaneously becoming a mother.
At that moment, the company’s role wasn’t to offer her a comfortable position, but to make any position she held more comfortable. She ultimately accepted the promotion, and I worked with her manager to ensure she had the necessary parental leave. Her manager also agreed to cover part of her job, allowing her to start part-time and gradually ramp up.
These are instances where male executives need to take an active role. Without such efforts, these advancements don’t happen naturally.
Why did you start WoMen4Metals and what does allyship mean to you?
Stefanie Klein, Initiative Lead, WoMen4Metals: We always felt the need to change the gender balance in our company because it seemed quite different from society. The metal industry, as you can imagine, is very male dominated.
In the beginning, we worked on this initiative in our private time. We set a vision and some goals. Two years ago, we had the opportunity to present our initiative to our CEO. At that time, our board consisted of three slightly older white men, and we were unsure how they would react. Fortunately, our CEO immediately supported us, he became our sponsor and encouraged us to make the initiative big and impactful for the entire industry.
One key area of recruiting allies is communication. We need to talk about these issues and give visibility to the women already in the industry. Women attract other women, so it’s important to showcase female faces in our industry. If women only see men in pictures, they won’t consider applying because they’ll think it’s not their place.
At the same time, we need to make women feel welcome in the workplace. For example, by providing appropriate work clothes, sanitary facilities and toilets that aren’t used as storage rooms. Even just avoiding scheduling important meetings after 5 PM helps accommodate mothers with other duties.
Allyship from men is also incredibly important because addressing this issue shouldn’t fall solely on women. Men can play a significant role in supporting us. For example, at one of the first meetings of WoMen4Metals, our CEO gave a presentation to an audience of 50 women. He said, “Oh my, now I completely understand how you feel and what it’s like working in this industry.” He wanted change, and to get men involved in this initiative. That support, his allyship, was invaluable.
We also went to the factories and production facilities and spoke directly with our male colleagues. We explained the constant challenges women face, as early as their apprenticeships, where they are repeatedly told that women shouldn’t work in this industry. It’s tough for young women, and they need to be incredibly strong to persevere. During these conversations, we saw men in senior positions with tears in their eyes, because they were thinking of their own daughters facing the same challenges.
For more highlights from CWIEME Berlin 2024, or to register your interest for the 2025 show, visit www.Berlin.CWIEMEevents.com.
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