Influential Women In Energy 2021

It has been a trying year since Hart Energy last honored the Influential Women in Energy. When we honored the 2020 class, we were able to gather with more than 1,000 luncheon attendees in a downtown Houston hotel. There were guest speakers, speeches and networking opportunities galore.

We can’t wait to honor the 2021 class in a similar way, but COVID-19 has put that in-person celebration on hold until Nov. 29. That doesn’t mean we are delaying our celebration though. This year we set up a special on-demand streaming celebration that you can still view at hartenergyconferences.com/ women-in-energy.

The virtual celebration includes our always special video tribute to the honorees, their stories and more. We also feature several industry panels hosted by our own women in energy on the Hart Energy editorial staff. They have in-depth discussions with our 2021 honorees on the issues of the day for the industry.

The talented women featured in the program this year have risen to the top ranks of their energy companies, providing leadership and inspiration to all. This is the fourth year that we have identified these role models, based on dozens of nominations we received from the industry. In fact, we named 27 honorees this year instead of our usual 25—a true sign of the breadth of exceptional talent in this industry.

Among them are CEOs of both producers and service companies, capital advisers, association heads, technology leaders, analysts, marketing executives and energy transition experts. This year, we feature the first international representative to our honorees, Sheila Al-Rowaily, CEO of Wisayah Global Investment Co. & Investment Management Co., an Aramco subsidiary, based in Saudi Arabia.

Some of our honorees loved oil and gas from the start because they grew up in families that were already involved in the industry. Others started out on a different career trajectory, but through unexpected events or meeting influential mentors, the lure of the energy industry grabbed them. Either way, the industry is better for it, as studies continue to prove that greater diversity in the workforce enables corporations to thrive. They become more creative and innovative because diverse viewpoints can inform analysis in new ways.

Executives have learned that women bring to the table the same training, talent and grit as their male colleagues. As honoree Starlee Sykes, senior vice president, Gulf of Mexico and Canada, with bp pointed out, “When it comes to being a woman in the oil and gas industry, it can be hard, because you stand out as you are usually the only one in the room. But equally as much, because you stand out, you have the opportunity to make a positive difference.”