Katja Akentieva
To lead in the energy industry, an individual needs to be strategic, focused, agile and decisive, Katja Akentieva said.
By those standards, Akentieva was born to be a business leader. At 5, she was a chess champion (strategic, decisive) of her local school district in Gelendzhik, Russia, who dreamed of being a professional track and field athlete (agile). Then she followed her passion for geology from high school all the way to the elite Moscow State University (focused).
“My goal was to simply be able to support myself and earn a living in a country where democracy and equal opportunities were not habitual,” she said. “Decades later, I find myself working with many amazing people from all over the world. Living and working in many countries and continents, holding various positions on the executive team of one of the leading energy data companies and then pivoting my career into completely new market like offshore wind, and being able to add value to this fascinating and fast-growing industry.”
Becoming a leader in energy was not always a straightforward path.
“I feel very lucky throughout my career to be working for companies that value and practice gender diversity,” she said. “Based on my own experiences, I strive to be a leader who supports other women in their growth and progression.”
She advises young women in the industry to be flexible and ready to take risks.
“Women tend to rise differently than men; their path to success may look very different.”
“Be prepared for the unexpected,” Akentieva said. “If you are prepared for those new career opportunities to take you to the new heights, then you will not be disappointed. Whether it is moving to a new country and uprooting your family or learning a new market or a completely new role.”
The professional steppingstone that made the biggest difference in her career was the decision to combine her technical degree in geophysics with an MBA. This came when SLB moved her into a position in Canada that tasked her with managing technical teams and developing new technologies. Exposed to the commercial side of the industry, she realized that a business degree would expand her choice of career opportunities.
“I had to put my life on hold, with a full-time job and studying for three years, but it was worth it!” Akentieva said. “It gave me a real boost of knowledge, memorable experiences and a lifelong network. Most importantly, I was able to use real work scenarios for university assignments and then practice what I learned.”
Her project thesis involved developing an innovative framework for evaluating investment risk when entering a new country. Since then, most of her career has been spent doing just that.
Akentieva’s most memorable projects involve the New Energy Solutions portfolio at TGS.
Among them was an extensive evaluation of the offshore wind market that she led, and the subsequent acquisition of 4C Offshore, a market leader in offshore wind intelligence that is now a fast-growing product in the TGS portfolio.
Another was her leadership role in implementing a new business model in the offshore wind industry enabling access to critical data to accurately predict energy estimates and reduce renewable projects financial uncertainty.
This U.S.-based data collection model has expanded globally and was honored with Oceantic Network’s Ventus Award for Advancement in Project Siting & Development.
“Receiving this project award was the proudest and most fulfilling moment in my career,” Akentieva said. “It was particularly rewarding to celebrate this achievement with my team, who have pioneered, persevered and succeeded in this new venture.”
Check out the rest of Hart Energy's 2024 Women in Energy here.
1. My favorite way to recharge and mood boost is kayaking. There must be something unique about being on the water; it’s fuel for the soul.
2. Two of my favorite quotes are:
“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.”
—Brian Herbert.
“Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport.”
—Unknown.
3. My favorite toy as a child was a small prototype of a marine acoustic source, pneumatic air model which my father co-invented and a rare mineral called a ferromanganese nodule from the Pacific Ocean that my mum’s research team extracted and studied. I still have both in my display cabinet. My own kids prefer Fortnite!