From students learning about decarbonisation to executives leading environmental strategies, the Energy Institute connects ambition with practical action. It provides a professional environment for exchanging ideas, developing skills and building lasting relationships. Some of those members are highlighted in a new video series, participants of which are profiled here.

Laying the foundations: Emily – the student perspective  
Early-career support is essential for those entering the energy sector. Emily Fan, a Student Member pursuing an MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures at Imperial College, defines the next generation’s passion and expertise. Her path to energy was inspired by an early fascination for sustainability and problem solving, and her first interaction allowed her to visualise this in a real-world context during London’s Energy Idea Challenge: ‘I worked on a project connecting offshore wind to green hydrogen production and for the first time I saw how energy, technology and real-world constraints could play together.’ However, like many others, Emily has struggled throughout the years to find her niche.

She found community as an Ambassador for the Energy Institute’s London Young Professionals Network (YPN), connecting with peers who share her enthusiasm for energy. This involvement gives her exposure to a broader range of industry perspectives than classroom learning alone. Through the Energy Institute, she engages with professionals from various backgrounds and companies, gaining hands-on insights and building a strong network before entering the workforce. As she puts it: ‘It has helped me navigate through energy, finding out what I enjoy and how to translate into a real career pathway.’ She is now focused on renewables and decarbonisation technologies, especially alternative fuels in hard-to-abate industries, such as aviation.

Beyond discovering her niche, what drives Emily is an appreciation for the impact energy has on us all. ‘We all depend on it, we all benefit from it, bear the consequences,’ she insists. ‘We need more people to offer their perspectives, skills and passions to make the energy sector even better than where it is now.’

Emily’s student story showcases how early support, exposure and community help shape your direction when starting out. By gaining hands-on experiences and connections beyond the classroom, opening doors to exploring potential interests, building confidence, and finding your niche in a broad and evolving sector.

Building the practical skills: Guilherme on the associate journey  
Throughout one’s working life, ongoing skill development is a must. The Associate Member (AMEI) grade reflects a commitment to building practical energy skills. The sector now values both traditional and non-traditional expertise for professionals to create new roles and challenge established practices.

Guilherme Castro AMEI, Offshore Wind Innovation Manager at the UK’s Crown Estate, demonstrates the value of diverse backgrounds: without a formal engineering or computer science degree. Born in Brazil and witnessing the limitations of energy, he felt compelled to make a difference. ‘The main change I want to contribute is that energy is not a differentiator of opportunities to anyone across the globe. That is my mission, for people to have access to studying during the night, for hospitals to have no outages.’ He attains the global south has its own energy transition journey, and believes combining diverse perspectives is essential ‘so we’re not insulated in our ideas’.

Guilherme has worked in the UK energy sector for eight years. He has found cultural adaption and how to work in his non-native language to be his main challenges. Part of his evolution he puts down to community through the Energy Institute’s YPN: ‘When you want to impact, I think you need to connect to leverage your power.’ Guilherme reflects on pursuing an interview at Octopus and how his fellow YPNs would hold pocket interviews together: ‘It’s a really diverse group, we’re not working in the same sector, so you get diversity of views and suggestions to shape your preparation.’ He attributes this to helping land him the role.

As a generalist Guilherme reflects on feeling afraid when pivoting to new parts of the sector. But these risks are the memorable milestones that he’s most proud of. They have given him a unique perspective; solutions which are system wide.

During Guilherme’s eight years in energy, four have included specialising in artificial intelligence (AI). Before generative AI became widely discussed, he developed AI solutions for energy applications. His experience shows how varied educational paths drive digital transformation in the sector.

Guilherme used his expertise to benefit the global community by proposing an AI training course for energy professionals. The Energy Institute developed and launched an ‘AI in the Energy Sector’ programme last year to help the market grasp the basics of how the technology works, its impact and the potential for them.

Guilherme’s associate journey goes beyond building practical skills. It’s about having confidence to grow, adapt and contribute. His experiences show how combining diverse perspectives, continuous learning and expanding community can bolster your career and leverage your impact in energy.

Duncan, the experienced and chartered professional  
The Energy Institute’s Member (MEI) grade provides formal recognition for those with at least four years of experience who demonstrate independent judgment and leadership. Duncan Cockburn MEI, Head of Energy Operations and Environmental Compliance at BT, demonstrates this commitment. His journey began with a desire to surf more, leading him to his passion and a 30-year energy management career.

Duncan was an Associate Member for many years before he progressed to MEI to obtain his chartership. He sought out the Energy Institute as a learning opportunity, to fill in the gaps of his expertise. ‘I’m an aircraft engineer, I like the logic of things, the organisation and the engineering of things. But when it comes to how it operates within refrigeration or air conditioning or those kinds of controls, it was that extra breadth that I needed.’

As a Chartered Energy Manager, he adapted his focus to meet stricter legal compliance standards, moving beyond basic energy-saving metrics. He now manages the ISO 50001 standard for his organisation, driven by a strong belief in responsible resource use.

Staying current with changing legal requirements requires ongoing learning. Duncan valued the Energy Institute’s structured support and learning opportunities. Completing the ‘Advanced Energy Manager’ course through the EI Academy expanded his expertise and enabled him to approach complex projects with new perspectives. He also highlights the value of volunteering alongside fellow MEI and chartership interviews, forming powerful connections, alongside their breadth of professional experience strengthening his knowledge.

He strongly believes that the sector has a place for everybody, ‘because it needs all sorts of people to be successful’. He adds: ‘You can be analytical, you can be observational, you can write good business cases.’ It is individual strengths which can be pulled together to achieve more.

Duncan’s journey demonstrates how MEI formalises experience while supporting continual growth. By upskilling through training, gaining professional recognition, and expanding your peer networks, experienced professionals can deepen their expertise, stay current and make significant change.

Jaz, the fellowship and leadership standard  
The Fellow (FEI) grade represents the highest level of professional achievement, awarded to those with significant and sustainable contributions to the energy sector or society. Fellows are innovators and leaders who drive change and support the community through mentorship, policy advocacy and public service.

Jaz Rabadia MBE FEI Chartered Energy Manager, has spent two decades helping global organisations manage energy use and utilise sustainable environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. In particular, she noticed that young women weren't joining the sector and made it her mission to help more young women understand the exciting world of energy and energy management.

Jaz says that the Energy Institute has been instrumental in her personal and professional growth since joining as a graduate. She has built lasting relationships, spoken on international panels, contributed to industry reports and shared best practices at major events. The recognition and opportunities she received evidently show the value of aligning passion with a respected global institution.

After all her years in energy, she gained the recognition she deserved when obtaining the unique title of Chartered Energy Manager, as well as receiving an MBE for services to sustainability in energy management and promoting diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Jaz believes that ‘the beauty of the energy industry is there’s a role for everyone’.

‘So whether you’re from a financial, legal, engineering or even communications background, there is a role for somebody… we need people who are willing to challenge the status quo.’ Just as Jaz did when starting out. Although she was the only woman in the room, she realised this was her strength and went on to inspire many others to follow suit. 

Jaz’s journey highlights how becoming an EI Fellow recognises not only expertise, but long-term impact and leadership. Throughout her roles, and alongside her commitment to diversity in the sector, she demonstrates how experienced professionals can influence the sector while empowering others to follow.

The power of a shared purpose: a collaborative ecosystem of support  
The experiences of these distinguished members demonstrate how the Energy Institute brings together individual journeys to support global progress. The Energy Institute offers resources for continuous professional growth, including access to training, mentoring, events and a regional peer network.