Amrita Sen

Amrita Sen received her doctorate in economics from the University of London and her master’s degree in economics from Cambridge University, accomplishments that indicate high levels of math skill.

And yet, Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Barclays Capital, said she would be a good energy analyst “because I was comfortable with 2+2 not adding up to 4,” she said. Of course, there’s more to it than simple arithmetic.

“That is a critical trait I believe an energy analyst needs to have, as most energy markets—with the exception of natural gas—are very opaque and a lot of assumptions need to be made daily to fill the gap in data in order to make informed decisions around investing and risk management,” Sen said. “Of course, manipulating large data sets and the need for coding (Python, AI, etc.) are skills that come in very handy in today’s day and age, but interpreting what the data means is a far more important skill.”

It’s that skill that has propelled her to build a world-class markets research firm, be called on to brief the National Security Council in Washington, D.C., and discuss energy and world politics with Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, the energy minister of Saudi Arabia.

“Hard work, perseverance, being humble, respectful and fostering relationships is what helped me get there,” she said.

Sen says one of the biggest hurdles in her career has been ageism.

“When I wasn’t getting promoted at Barclays Capital despite doing work at a director’s level as an associate (as I was too ‘young’ and didn’t have a set number of years of experience), I didn’t sit around lamenting their decision,” she said. “Together with friends, I set up my own company 11 years ago which now serves 600 companies around the world, has nine offices globally and employs more than 250 people.”

Sen advises young professionals to not let being a woman or a minority define them.

“Let your work, your personality and morals define you,” she said. “Don’t expect favors from anyone just because you are a woman but, equally, don’t hold back or take nonsense from anyone because you are a woman. There is space in energy or, for that matter, any industry for everyone as long as you define your path. Never feel sorry for yourself.”

Indeed, she believes women may possess an advantage in their ability to diplomatically navigate the energy market in a world that is increasingly divided politically and the energy transition risks leaving millions in poverty.

“Oil and gas are the lifelines of civilization and society,” Sen said. “Without energy, there is no economic growth and without energy, the billions of people under the poverty line will stay there.”

Addressing that problem is what gets her out of bed every day.

“I grew up in India, where load shedding was common at that time,” said Sen, who calls both Kolkata and London her hometowns. “I have seen what energy poverty is.”

As Sen’s career has evolved, her core goal has not changed much.

“Setting up Energy Aspects and growing it to a half-billion-dollar company was not a goal I set for myself,” she said. “We started as four people in a small office that looked like a prison! The goal was to provide the best energy market analysis 11 years ago and the goal remains the same today. Everything else that has come with it is a bonus.”

It’s an approach that has added up to success. You can do the math.

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