Bringing together female talents and energy industry leaders to bridge experience gaps through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and impactful conversations, Egypt’s Women in Energy Network (EWiEN), launched in 2022 as a working group under the Egypt Oil & Gas Committee, has led several initiatives supporting women throughout their career journeys. Most recently, on January 28, EWiEN hosted a speed-mentoring event, sponsored by ExxonMobil, under the “Career Women Pillar and themed Grow, Advocate, Lead”. The event featured short, focused conversations with experienced mentors and professional coaches, offering practical insights, career guidance, and meaningful support for professional growth.
The event was kicked off by Nermeen El-Nawawi, Commercial Lubricants Brand Manager at ExxonMobil and President of ExxonMobil’s Women Interest Network, who welcomed guests and keynote speakers and highlighted ExxonMobil Egypt’s commitment to supporting women in the energy sector. She noted: “At ExxonMobil Egypt, we are privileged to sponsor this event, which aligns with the objectives of Egypt’s Women in Energy Network (EWiEN). Mentorship is a cornerstone of talent development, and we are proud to support this vision.”
This was followed by remarks from Sally Kenawy, Senior Strategist for Global Integrated Gas at Shell, speaking on behalf of Eleanor Rowley, Managing Director at Capricorn Energy and Founder of EWiEN. Kenawy highlighted the network’s growing impact, stating: “We brought together hundreds of women from across the energy sector, enabling them to network, mentor and be mentored, and engage with seasoned professionals and leaders to build skills in key areas such as AI, health, and more.”
Highlighting the critical role of mentorship and allyship, Amr Abou Eita, Chairman and Managing Director of ExxonMobil Egypt, emphasized that male colleagues must actively listen, learn, and engage to support female talent. He underscored that mentoring, networking, and building support systems are essential, as many realities in women’s career journeys require conscious learning and awareness.
The objectives of the event were further reinforced by Mohamed Fouad, CEO and Founder of Egypt Oil & Gas and Co-Chairman of its Committee, who emphasized the importance of inclusive dialogue and collaboration across the industry. He noted that while women already play an incredible role in the sector and in society, greater male engagement is essential to drive mindset shifts and build a stronger, more competitive industry, stressing that progress is not about gender, but about diversity, and about building both a healthier industry and society.
In addition, Iman Hill, Country Manager & Managing Director at VAALCO Energy Egypt and Chairwoman of the Egypt Oil & Gas Committee, stressed that diversity, equality, and inclusion are not about men versus women, but about fairness. She highlighted the importance of addressing challenges such as equal pay, equal opportunities, and refusing to be defined by gender, ethnicity, or background in order to create meaningful and lasting change.
The event concluded with two dynamic rounds of speed-mentoring sessions led by an outstanding group of professional mentors and coaches. Discussions covered a wide range of topics, including navigating career transitions, building personal branding, strategic networking across genders, overcoming imposter syndrome, and fostering allyship through both female advocacy and male support.
