The French-Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry Victoria Chapter, in partnership with ENGIE ANZ​ and Ashurst,​ was delighted to invite you to its Gender Equity in the Energy Sector panel discussion on Thursday 25 May, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at Ashurst premises.

Despite progress in recent years, the energy sector continues to face significant gender disparities, with women underrepresented in leadership positions, technical roles, and decision-making processes. This lack of diversity not only hinders progress towards achieving sustainability goals, but also limits the sector's innovation and competitiveness. As the world shifts towards clean energy, ensuring gender equity in the transition becomes even more important, as it presents an opportunity to build a more inclusive and resilient energy system that benefits everyone.

Our panel included experts from government, industry, and education, who shared their insights and experiences on the stakes of gender equity in the energy sector and showcased examples of successful initiatives and programs.

The Hon. Lily D'Ambrosio, discussed Victoria's commitment to gender equity in the energy sector, and how the government is supporting women in the industry through its Women in Energy initiative, which aims to increase the participation and leadership of women in this sector. The Minister, accompanied by David Ngu (General Counsel and Vice-President People and Services at Total Energies EP Australia), Anna Hedgcock (Head of Commercial at Engie ANZ), and Kate M Phillips (Partner at Ashurst) all together discussed the challenges and opportunities for women in the renewable energy sector and shared business cases and best practices for increasing gender diversity and inclusion.

We firmly believe only together can we unlock new sources of talent, creativity, and perspectives, and accelerate the transition to a more equitable and sustainable energy future for all.