Knowledge-Transfer Webinar: Business development and personal branding

Women in Wind held its fifth Knowledge-Transfer Webinar on 17 December 2019, on the topics of business development, market intelligence and personal branding. We were delighted to welcome Karin Ohlenforst (Director of Market Intelligence, Global Wind Energy Council) (pictured below), Regina Ranieri (Business Development Manager, UL Renewable, South America) and Toni Beukes (Renewable Energy Sales Leader – Southern Africa, GE Renewable Energy – Onshore Wind) (pictured above) to share their insights with our program Participants in a closed-door webinar.

Some of the insights include:

• Karin discussed the various inputs required for market intelligence work, from policy understanding to country risk to market data, and its importance in setting the direction for future growth. She highlighted capability areas which will need to meet market forecasts, including power trading, bilateral PPAs and floating offshore wind technology. Finally, Karin underscored that market intelligence requires accountability, transparency and the ability to answer tough questions when the outlook might not be so positive. 
• Regina spoke about her growing geographic coverage as a business development manager. She noted that the expansion of renewable energy showed the power of a country’s human resources and capabilities, and provided an overview of a few market drivers, including the private contracting market, macroeconomic picture, country risk profile and enabling regulation. Regina also provided insights on the investment environment in Argentina, which has some of the most promising wind resources and capacity factors in Latin America, but high political uncertainty.
• Toni gave attendees a broad overview of wind energy in Africa, with more than 5.5 GW of operational capacity in six countries. She described wind energy as fairly small and concentrated in the grid-connected consumer segment, but with huge potential to add up to 32 GW by 2028. She then examined the procurement framework and economic development requirements for wind power in South Africa, and highlighted local content, a just energy transition, business confidence and the hybrid segment as areas to watch as both challenges and opportunities.

Each speaker also highlighted her conception of her own personal brand, and the challenging decisions which need to be made over the course of a career which define someone’s integrity and values. They addressed tough situations where one might prioritise respect over being liked, the various career stages (moving from choosing a career to developing survival skills to potentially planning a family) and staying aware of victimization in the workplace.

Finally, being near to the holiday season, the webcast ended with speakers sharing a few career-focused resolutions for 2020: 

• Break down your career planning into small goals: Everyone has a colleague or department where the relationship is not ideal. What can you do to get the relationship onto a better rhythm? 
• Take time to consider the next generation: Consider your career stage and how you can encourage the next wave of female leaders and support the pathways of peers and juniors. In other words, “lift as you rise.”
• Tailor your path to your strengths: Work out where you can make contributions that are uplifting to yourself and your community, and reflect your personal values.