Women in Energy Romania: Building Leadership, Community and Impact within CIGRE
Recognizing the need for innovation and long-term progress in the current energy transition context, CIGRE Women in Energy (WiE) was established as an international initiative aimed at promoting dialogue, collaboration, and visibility for women professionals across the power systems community.
Figure 1 - Some of the CIGRE Romania Women in Energy members at the end of a WiE event, attended by Dr. Mihaela Albu, Chair of Women in Energy Romania, and Dr. Ciprian Diaconu, Chair of CIGRE Romania
By Alisa FLEANCU & Raluca Elena VOINEAG - CIGRE WiE Romania
Within the broader CIGRE international framework, the WiE initiative serves as a platform that encourages knowledge exchange, professional development, and leadership opportunities, while fostering meaningful connections between experienced experts and younger generations.
Aligned with these objectives, CIGRE Romania Women in Energy has developed a strong and growing community, currently bringing together 83 active members, the majority of whom are based in Bucharest.
CIGRE Romania Women in Energy and Female Leadership seminars
An important element of the WiE Romania approach is its inclusive and interdisciplinary character. The community brings together professionals at different stages of their careers, encouraging open dialogue and knowledge exchange. By inviting speakers from diverse backgrounds, including industry, academia, entrepreneurship, and civil society, the initiative creates opportunities for learning across sectors and perspectives.
The activities of CIGRE Romania Women in Energy are built around a flexible, though formalised, structure, designed to encourage active participation and meaningful interaction rather than passive attendance. The WiE meetings are organised on a regular basis (monthly meetings on Monday afternoons), following a consistent rhythm that supports continuity, community building, and long-term engagement.
A defining element of this approach is the way in which topics are selected. Rather than relying on a fixed agenda, the WiE Romania team places strong emphasis on listening to members’ needs. Feedback gathered through informal discussions, direct interactions, and observations during previous meetings plays an essential role in shaping future editions.
While some editions address topics closely connected to tips and tricks within energy sector management, others deliberately explore broader subjects related to leadership, communication, career development, or decision-making in complex environments. This diversity reflects the understanding that professional excellence in the energy field is supported not only by technical knowledge, but also by transversal skills that enhance collaboration and adaptability.
The key topics are presented in Figure 2.
Figure 2 - Key topics for the Romanian Feminine Leadership seminars
Representative Female Leadership seminars
Held on a monthly basis on Monday afternoons, in a dedicated space within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest. This regularity contributed significantly to the development of a stable and engaged community, offering participants both continuity and predictability.
Participants explored themes such as personal branding, working in international and multicultural teams, strategic communication, and the role of determination and courage in career advancement. These sessions were delivered by experienced professionals, including executive leaders with multinational corporate backgrounds and senior figures from the electricity and natural gas sector, and were particularly well received, with some editions being requested for follow-up sessions.
Figure 3 - „Lider la feminin” seminars with Ms. Corina Popescu – second edition
As a measure of success, one of the meetings featured Ms Corina Popescu, who held important management roles within E.ON Romania and OMV Petrom, served as General Director of Electrica, was President of the Board of Directors of Transelectrica, and State Secretary in the Romanian Ministry of Energy. The title of her seminar was in Romanian, “Competență 360 în Inginerie și Business” (“360° Expertise in Engineering and Business” in English).
The seminar not only lasted more than two hours, but also led to a second edition, which took place in early 2026.
A particularly distinctive highlight of the WiE programme was the Leadership Game Evening, organised as a special edition during the winter holiday season. This highly interactive session, guided by a certified Maxwell Leadership Team trainer, Ms Mihaela-Stanca Petrescu, introduced a game-based approach to leadership development.
Through practical exercises and discussions, participants explored team dynamics, leadership versus authority, motivation, and resilience. The engaging format encouraged them to apply lessons from previous seminars, making this one of the most impactful WiE events.
Figure 4 - Highlights from the „Leadership Game Evening” seminar: poster and some of the participants
This session was also attended by future professionals, i.e. three third-year students at the Faculty of Power Engineering who are already aspiring to careers in this field.
Another seminar addressed the topic of European Union - funded projects, offering a practical perspective on project development, implementation, and impact. Led by an expert, Ms Carla Sandu, with extensive experience in managing large-scale EU-funded initiatives, this session provided valuable insights into the full project lifecycle, from concept development to measurable results and long-term systemic change.
Figure 5 - Poster and some of the participants for the „Handling Projects Funded by the European Union” seminar
A successful edition addressed topics such as diplomacy, social interaction, trust, confidence, presence, sharing, and empathy. The session was presented by Ms Elena Ratcu, who has dedicated her entire career to communication in the energy sector.
Figure 6 - Poster and some of the participants for the „Communication efficiency – The Energy of Succes” seminar
Overall, the strong engagement and positive feedback received from participants confirm the relevance of the chosen topics and formats. The success of these seminars provides a solid foundation for future editions, highlighting the value of interactive, participant-centred approaches within the CIGRE Women in Energy framework. The final seminar of this series addressed ethics in the AI era, with contributions from Dr Mihaela Albu, Chair of Women in Energy Romania, offering perspectives from academia and beyond.
Figure 7 - Poster and some of the participants for the „Ethics in the IA era” seminar
The seminars were very well received, and this successful initial series is expected to pave the way for future events that will be just as appreciated by the members of CIGRE WiE Romania.
International Perspective, Impact and Future Directions
CIGRE Romania Women in Energy is closely connected to the international CIGRE WiE framework, encouraging exchange with similar initiatives worldwide and offering insights into engagement, leadership and community building. At the same time, the Romanian WiE experience has contributed to these discussions by sharing practical examples of interactive formats and sustained member involvement. Over time, the impact of the WiE Romania initiative has become increasingly visible. Regular participation, repeated requests for follow-up editions, and positive feedback from attendees confirm the relevance of the selected topics and formats. Looking ahead, CIGRE Romania Women in Energy aims to further strengthen its role as a platform for dialogue and collaboration, while remaining aligned with international trends and priorities within the CIGRE community. Future initiatives will continue to build on the lessons learned, exploring new formats and topics that respond to the evolving needs of the energy sector and its professionals.
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