In line with the SPE Diversity and Inclusion Committee goals and under the scope of the Women in Energy program, SPE Qatar Section organized a webinar titled “Women in Oil & Gas Technical Leadership.” The objective of the event is to promote, empower, and inspire women, especially those in the early stage of their careers, students, and female young professionals by providing an insight into key oil and gas trends and skills for personal and professional development.
During the session, three keynote speakers from both professional and academic backgrounds shared their experiences: Maria Capello, executive consultant at Kuwait Oil Company; Marie Planckaert, vice president of geosciences and reservoir at Total Qatar; and Mashhad Fahes, associate professor at the University of Oklahoma. The speakers shared their success stories, industry knowledge, strategies, and experiences. The webinar was an opportunity for young members to hear the speakers’ breadth of knowledge and expertise and learn about their path to professional and academic leadership.
During the panels, three central ideas were discussed:
- Issues that Qatari women face within the oil and gas industry, how to be part of the change, and how we can be proactive (including male/female perspective) to meet these challenges and close the gender gap
- Recommendations for empowering women to increase their opportunities, improve skills, and boost their self-confidence to prepare them for leadership positions
- Ideas about how the oil and gas industry can support and improve women's lives by creating jobs and leadership positions for them, as well as ways to boost wealth creation in inclusive ways.
[Baraa H. Salman is a member of TWA editorial committee.]