Articles

Making Their Mark: The Evolving Role of Emirati Women in Utilities

In celebration of this year’s Emirati Women’s Day, we connect with four leading personalities from across TAQA Group — both past and present — to share their experiences of working within Abu Dhabi’s utilities industry and the evolution of women’s roles within the field throughout their respective careers.

Widely recognized as the longest-serving Emirati woman in the utilities sector and one of the first female electrical engineers in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Fatima Mohammed Al Dhaheri recently concluded a 33-year career by retiring from her position as the Electricity Operation and Maintenance Director at the Al Ain Distribution Company (AADC).

During her time in the industry, Al Dhaheri achieved several ‘firsts’ including being the first woman from a technical field to receive the Abu Dhabi Award for Technical Excellence from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. In addition, she became the first female director in transmission and distribution when she was promoted to AADC’s Asset Management Director in 2011.

Driven by a passion for engineering that dates back to her childhood, Al Dhaheri enrolled in an electrical engineering program at Al Ain’s UAE University in 1987, which included a work placement opportunity at the Water & Electricity Department, the predecessor to Transco-Al Ain and AADC.

While departing an industry that today has seen its ranks swell with up-and-coming female Emirati talent, Al Dhaheri recalls the challenges she faced when she started her career.

“When I graduated from university in 1993, I knew I wanted to return to the Water & Electricity Department. But there were still restrictions – we had to overcome the mentality of our families and communities, and I had to prove to people that I was capable,” shares Al Dhaheri.

“But I had a passion for the sector, which made me want to overcome any of the challenges of being one of the only women. Slowly, we were able to break down boundaries and encourage other women to join. And within four years, I was able to mentor other women – trainees who joined the company.”

Seen as a rising star within the UAE’s utilities sector, Fatima AlShaygi today holds the position of TAQA’s Vice President of UAE Asset Management and also sits on several boards of UAE-based utility firms, including serving as acting chair for four independent water and power producers in the country.

While it is her view that there has been significant progress in developing Emirati female talent in the industry, she believes that there are still social challenges to overcome.

“Emirati women have demonstrated that they can handle challenging positions and can break barriers through their amazing achievements,” says AlShaygi. “Although numerous social obstacles remain towards advancement into leadership positions within the utilities field.

“When it comes to leadership, there is always a question on whether a woman can endure the same hardships as their male counterparts, such as participating in a safety walk or visiting a remote plant in the desert. While I believe we are in a much better position than where we used to be as an industry, women continue to count on further empowerment and engagement to ensure that these stereotypes are changed.”

AlShaygi also emphasizes the importance of diversification and how female representation can result in positive and engaging outcomes for both the individual and the organization.

In terms of her aspirations for the sector, she hopes to one day see appointment of the first female executive managing director or chief financial officer at one of the Emirate’s independent water and power plants.

“Up until now, we [Emirati women] have been urged and encouraged to expand our professional expertise, technical knowledge, and leadership abilities. The combination has demonstrated that women can successfully run such a challenging and complex industry, and we also see considerable potential for women who can be further developed and groomed to take on the difficulties involved with these positions,” says AlShaygi.

“In order to ensure that there is a clear path for women inside the utilities industry that prepares them to take over executive leadership responsibilities, additional platforms — training programs, networking opportunities, mentoring — must be created.

“Such development has already been observed within the sector, which in recent years has absorbed a new generation of female Emirati talent who are not only experts in their fields but hold lofty ambitions to lead from the front,” she adds.

Sharing her viewpoint on the value of technical knowledge and experience in accelerating one’s growth within the industry, Haifaa Abdulla Almteiri, who heads up TRANSCO’s Power Network Protection department, points out that numerous opportunities exist today for Emirati women who are ready to apply themselves and excel.

For example, for those with an inclination for technical studies and simulations, she notes that there are specialized roles within network planning and protection analysis, while Emirati women open to fieldwork will find opportunities in commissioning and maintenance.

There are also prospects within the arena of Asset Management ideally suited to individuals interested in formulating policies and strategies and dealing with challenges through holistic approaches.

Almteiri adds that as an organization, TRANSCO has dedicated itself to capability development and the steady increase of local women employees within the workforce speaks to the company’s commitment to attracting and nurturing talent.

Holding over 15 years of experience working in the industry, she has been an active voice participating in several technical forums and becoming a key leader as part of CIGRE Middle East and a member of the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE – Paris). She has also co-authored several technical papers that have been published by the CIGRE and IEEE.

Like her peers, she views social perceptions of the role of women as an ongoing obstacle that many within the industry still must contend with.

“I believe an obstacle lies with people’s perception, which forces women to work twice as hard to prove themselves. But at the same time, I also believe the shortage of women in key executive decision-making management roles does not reflect the true capabilities of Emirati women,” says Almteiri.

“Our dedication, ability to analyze, and patience allow us to identify unique opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of our respective organizations and create multi-dimensional interests for the industry. These differentiators in terms of characteristics and skills will further elevate the stature and influence of Emirati women today and highlights our role as a key driver shaping the UAE of tomorrow.”

One example of a shining talent whose influence extends beyond the confines of the industry lies with Eng. Adhari Alsarkal, an Energy Demand Side Management Engineer with TAQA who specializes in streamlining power consumption across sectors and the development of energy demand management and development initiatives.

Heralding the UAE as a global leader in women empowerment, the young Emirati energy leader shares that her passion for the industry was cultivated from a young age.

Excelling in her studies, Alsarkal was invited to join the Shumookh Young Leadership club, an initiative overseen by the Higher Colleges of Technology in Sharjah, which provides students gifted in academics with the opportunity to develop leadership skills.

In addition, she is a graduate of the WiSER Pioneers program, which is part of Masdar’s Women for Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy platform that focuses on topics around gender equality and sustainable development. Alsarkal was also selected to join the Zayed the Inspirer platform, a global inspiration initiative that oversees a database of inspirational stories from across the world.

Encouraged by such progressive initiatives and the value placed upon her by the country’s leadership, who see women as a key part of the nation’s sustainable growth, Alsarkal found that she was driven to pursue opportunities within challenging technical fields and motivated to seek out leadership roles.

When asked about what value young Emirati women could bring in facilitating the UAE’s energy transition and driving the future of utilities, Alsarkal singles out the increasing importance of the field of sustainability.

“We are fortunate that the UAE’s leadership, who believe in Emirati women and their role in society, also recognize their value in driving the sustainable development and success of our nation. I believe that female leaders within the field need to keep their focus on sustainability and work towards serving this goal,” says Alsarkal.

“A passion for research and innovation is also crucial for success, along with insights on the evolving needs of different segments of society and industry, the implementation of efficient controls for power consumption, as well as the ability to communicate this vision to people with different mindsets,” she concludes.