Announcing the Mentors of the Energising Women to Advance the Energy Transition Mentoring Programme 2023

GWNET is excited to share the selected mentors for the Energising Women to Advance the Energy Transition Mentoring Programme, launched in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), across select countries under the German bilateral energy partnerships.

Each of these mentors is a senior professional committed to making a difference and having a positive impact on a younger woman’s career in the energy sector. We are proud to have them as part of this program.

The mentors include:

Mentors for Algeria

• Muhieddin Tawalbeh, RSS/NERC at the Royal Scientific Society, Jordan
• Nadia Chioukh, International Cooperation and Communication Manager at the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Algeria
• Maysoon Al-Khuraissat, Founder and General Manager at Adaa Sustainable Development Consultants, Jordan
• Sabrina Hasni, Electrification Solution Integrator at Shell, Algeria
• Leila Ghomri, Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Mostaganem, Algeria
• Nitinsinh Raulji, Founder at AquaWelder HyEnergy Pvt, India

Mentors for Brazil

• Luisa Valentim Barros, Head of Consulting Business Development, Global at WayCarbon, Brazil
• Iryna Nesterenko, Scientific Project Advisor – Hysupply at Acatech, Ukraine
• Hemangi Borole, Research and Development – Power Systems Engineer at ABB, India
• Maria Marcela Fragozo, Process Engineer at Vicoma, Colombia
• Magda Bieńkowska, Marketing Community Lead at enspired, Poland
• Angie Garcia, Head of PPAs & Structured Origination at OW Ocean Winds, Mexico

Mentors for Chile

• Ximena Cantú, Sustainability Consultant, Mexico
• Liwen Li, Research Manager at the Regensburg Center of Energy and Resources, Taiwan
• Paola Garcia, Commercial Manager at Vattenfall, Peru
• Tatiana Santos Perrone, Head of Strategy, Planning and Pricing at Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolívia Brasil, Brazil
• Alejandra Salazar Delgado, Business Development Manager – Renewable Energy at Engie, Peru
• Ellen Bomasang, Principal, Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Abt Associates, USA

Mentors for China

• Li Fen, Chief Engineer at the Shenzhen Institute of Building Research, China
• Laura Loeffen, Consulting Engineer at IX Renewables, Netherlands
• Ipupa Fadeyi, Board Member: Renumerations and Nominations at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Limited, Namibia
• Weiwei Kou, Sustainability Director, North Asia at Unilever, China
• Nan Zhao, Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University, China
• Dongli An, Program Manager, Carbon Neutrality 2030, at Apple, China
• Haitao Zheng, Senior Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, China
• Chitra Narayanswamy, Consultant, Energy Access at the International Renewable Energy Agency, India
• Nidhi Gupta, Associate Director at Environmental Design Solutions, India

Silvia Sartori, Independent Consultant, Italy

Mentors for Egypt

• Nabila Lazreg, Unconventional Resources Expert at ADNOC Group, Algeria
• Karla Solis, Programme Officer at UNFCCC, Peru

Mentors for Ethiopia

• Sergio Cardamas, Managing Director at dpSun, Spain
• Mohit Vyas, Manager, Business Development at Enel Green Power, India
• Winnie Mamatsharaga, National Coordinator, Women Empowerment and Gender Equality at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa
• Olola Vieyra, Country Representative Côte d’Ivoire at the Global Green Growth Institute, Côte d’Ivoire
• Eunice Akyereko Adjei, Senior Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah’​ University of Science and Technology, Ghana
• Habiba Ali, CEO at Sosai Renewable Energies Company, Nigeria

Mentors for India

• Sunil Dayal, Energy & Climate Finance Specialist at the World Bank, India
• Kanika Chawla, Chief of Staff at Sustainable Energy for All, India
• Aiman Suhailah Saifuddin, Electrical Design and Compliance Manager, Ørsted UK, Malaysia
• Noara Kebir, Founder, Managing Director and Partner at MicroEnergy International, Germany
• Federica Fuligni, Energy Services Development & Technical Support at Plenitude, Italy
• Harshitha S Kumar, COO at Radiance Renewables, India
• Jitendra Nalwaya, Vice President at BSES Delhi, India
• Juliana Velloso Durão, Energy Research Analyst at Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, Brazil
• Nathan Awuapila, Sustainability Consultant at Seed Consulting Group, Nigeria
• Beril Alpagut, Smart and Sustainable Cities Consultant at Demir Enerji Danismanlik, Turkey

Mentors for Japan

• Christin Schlensog, Global Head of Customer Project Engineering at Siemens Energy, Germany

Mentors for Jordan

• Rishu Garg, Policy Specialist at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, India
• Dana Al-Lweisy, National Project Officer at the United Nations Development Programme, Jordan
• Sindisiwe Cele, Acting Project Executive at eThekwini Municipality, South Africa
• Sara Ibrahim Ahmed Elhag, Co-founder at IRIS Sustainable Consultancy, Sudan
• Rand Alzubi, Head of Engineering and Projects at Mustakbal Clean Tech, Jordan
• Shaimaa Fayed, Assistant Professor at the German University in Cairo, Egypt

Mentors for Mexico

• Rosa (Pilar) Bisteni, Senior Program Manager at UL, Mexico
• Lucia Häger, Chief Procurement Officer at NOKERA Management AG, Germany
• Marco Huels, Coordinator German-Mexican Energy Partnership at GIZ, Mexico
• Kelli Joseph, Senior Fellow, Electricity Market Design and Climate at the University of Pennsylvania, USA
• Hadia Sheerazi, Manager, Climate Aligned Industries at the Rocky Mountain Institute, USA
• Joy Themen, Environmental Consultant, Suriname

Mentors for Morocco

• Francoise Sabatier, Director, Conceptual Design Sustainable Hydrocarbon Solutions at Linde Engineering, Belgium
• Sandra Retzer, Director Funding Programs at GIZ, Germany
• Karima Kadda Touati, Product Manager ‘Green Economy’ at Conseil National Economique et Social, Algeria
• Sanaa Hichami, Senior Investment Promotion Advisor, Power Africa at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Morocco
• Zeineb Mghirbi, Energy Expert at GIZ, Tunisia
• Khalid Waleed, Research Fellow at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Pakistan

Mentors for Namibia

• Rutuka Dhage, Performance Engineer at Caterpillar Inc., India
• Priya Selvaraj, General Manager, Country Head, Power Electronics Business at Siemens Gamesa, India
• Sheila Kubiita, Independent Consultant and Certified Solar Installer, Uganda
• Geetanjali Seewoosurrun, Senior Customer Services Officer at the Central Electricity Board, Mauritius
• Ariana Ramos, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Vlerick Energy Centre, Honduras
• Sofia Gonçalves, Innovation Project Lead at UK Power Networks, Portugal
• Julia Souder, CEO at Long Duration Energy Storage Council, USA
• Tebogo D.L. Poo, Head of Finance at the SADC Secretariat, South Africa
• Tigabu Atalo, Renewables Explorer at TotalEnergies, Ethiopia

Mentors for Republic of Korea

• Ayleen Sadvakassova, Business Development Manager – Power & Renewable Energy – North Asia, NES Fircroft, Kazakhstan
• Barbara Fischer-Aupperle, Founding Partner at the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition, Germany
• Christine Lins, CEO, Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition, Austria
• Pooran Chandra Pandey, Professor of Practice at Nalanda University, India
• Netra Walawalkar, Vice President, India Operations at Customized Energy Solutions, India

Mentors for Saudi Arabia

• Khorlan Ayazbekova, Head of Strategy Office at KazMunaiGas, Kazakhstan
• Katja Eisbrenner, Director, Mena Region Cool Up Programme at Guidehouse, Germany
• Aniket Kumar, Deputy Manager at Energy Efficiency Services Limited, India

Mentors for South Africa

• Chioma Ome, Country Director at Solar Sister Nigeria, Nigeria
• Refilwe (Mogale) Mokgosi, Area Chief Engineer at City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa
• Sonal Adlakha, Independent Consultant, India
• Milisha Pillay, Managing Director at Alba Green Solutions, South Africa
• Bindu Madhavi Polumahanti, Director, Policy and Regulatory at Customized Energy Solutions, India
• Tanja Faller, Director of Energy and Climate at GIZ, Germany
• Aradhna Pandarum, Just Energy Transition Portfolio Manager at The Impact Catalyst, South Africa
• Brigitte Öppinger-Walchshofer, Former Ambassador, Austria
• Phemelo Mitchell, Head of Renewable Energy Business Development at Sasol, South Africa
• Phumzile Sibisi, Technical Manager Southern Africa at HDF Energy, South Africa

Mentors for Tunisia

• Ibtissem Hamouda, Principal Director, Alternative Energies at Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité et du Gaz, Tunisia
• Karima Guerfali Lazzem, Founder at Best Training Academy, Tunisia
• Shifa’a Al-Khatatbeh, Energy Efficiency Manager at Izzat Marji Group, Jordan
• Narayani Srivastava, Consultant at AHAsolar, India
• Shivali Dwivedi, Energy Technology Specialist, USAID South Asia Regional Partnership Program at RTI International, India
• Omelkhir Yahyaoui, Head of Department, Research and Innovation at Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité et du Gaz, Tunisia
• Awatef Adalet, Senior Business Analyst – Strategic & Financial at QatarEnergy, Tunisia
• Awatef Miraoui, Trainer at UNIDO, Tunisia
• Nihel Chekir, Associate Professor at National Engineering School of Fabes, Tunisia
• Imen Karoui, Head of the Regional Development Unit in Sfax at Tunisian Post, Tunisia

Mentors for United Arab Emirates

• Ashraf Kraidy, Energy Transition and Market Analyst, United Arab Emirates
• Hamzeh Buqaei, Director at the German Energy Academy in Jordan, Jordan

Mentors for Uruguay

• Alberto Pérez Ortiz, Renewable Energy Consultant, Spain
• Mildred Linkimer, Co-Director of CIDER and Professor of Physics and Renewable Energies at Universidad EARTH, Costa Rica
• Margareth Oliveira Pavan, Senior Researcher at Escola Politécnica da USP, Brazil
• Liliana Campos-Arriaga, Mexico Component Coordinator at IREK II, Initiative on Resource Efficiency and Climate Action, at GIZ, Mexico
• Vera Matute, Consulting Social Specialist at the World Bank, Honduras
• Auriane Jesupret, Senior Business Developer – Asset Management & Optimization at ENGIE Chile, Belgium

Mentors for Vietnam

• Dolunay Güçlüer Küpeli, Advisory Board Member at Turkish Women in Renewable and Energy, Turkey
• Jessica Nga Tran, Country Manager, Vietnam at Clime Capital, Vietnam
• Mansii (Gupta) Sharma, Strategic Planner – Manager at Emerson Automation Solutions, India
• Sayuri Moodliar, ESG Director at Open Access Data Centres, South Africa
• Bhaskar Natarajan, Director, Programs at the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy, India
• Thuy Nguyen, Elithis Asia Director at Elithis Asia, Vietnam

Become a Mentor – What’s in it for You?

As a mentor, you get the opportunity to give something valuable back to more junior professionals and to expand your own knowledge through the mentees’ perspective.

Mentoring will contribute to personal and professional development for both you and your mentee, as well as, shaping the direction of future generations within your field of expertise. If you are interested in volunteering as a mentor in one of GWNET’s mentoring programmes (which involves approx. 1 – 1.5 hours of engagement per month plus optional participation in knowledge-transfer webinars), kindly fill in our Mentor Datasheet.

Stay tuned for updates on the programme.