Message from the New ELECTRA Editorial Board Chair
By Koji Kawakita, ELECTRA Editorial Board Chair
Dear Readers,
I am thrilled and honoured to take on the role of Chair of the CIGRE ELECTRA Editorial Board from 2026.
I would like to begin by warmly thanking my predecessor, Mandy Olson, for her exceptional leadership over the past three years. During her term, ELECTRA continued to grow as a trusted and approachable source of insight for CIGRE members, while further strengthening both the quality and relevance of its content. I was fortunate to join the Editorial Board as Vice Chair in 2024 and to work closely with Mandy during her final year as Chair. Her openness, commitment, and thoughtful guidance have greatly supported a smooth transition, and I am sincerely grateful for her contribution.
My own journey within CIGRE began with my first participation in the Paris Session in 2000. Since then, I have been involved in several Working Groups within Study Committee B3, and from 2018 to 2024, I had the privilege of serving as Chair of SC B3. These experiences have allowed me to see CIGRE not only as a community of technical excellence but also as a network built on collaboration, mutual respect, and shared purpose.
ELECTRA plays an important role in connecting this expertise with CIGRE members. The magazine introduces the diverse and highly specialised activities carried out by CIGRE experts across Study Committees and Working Groups, while also highlighting cross-cutting initiatives such as the Next Generation Network and Women in Energy. In addition, ELECTRA showcases activities within National Committees and Regional Councils and features interviews with distinguished experts from outside the CIGRE community. Together, these contributions help present a broad and balanced view of the challenges and opportunities facing power systems worldwide.
Most importantly, the strength and richness of ELECTRA depend on the voices of its readers. Your perspectives, experiences, and ideas are essential in shaping future content and in ensuring that the magazine continues to reflect what matters most to the CIGRE community.
To all current and future readers of ELECTRA, I warmly invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions with the Editorial Board. I look forward to working together to further develop ELECTRA as a welcoming platform for knowledge-sharing and dialogue, linking expertise across generations, regions, and disciplines within CIGRE.
Sincerely,
Koji Kawakita
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