Diversity and Inclusion provided the theme for our dinner, held on Monday 23 May.
Guests enjoyed a diverse programme featuring a lively panel session, poetry, live music and videos plus an ideal arena for networking.
An Audience With – Andy Barrow, Triple Paralympian
During the evening we paused to focus on a panel session chaired by Colette Cohen OBE, Chief Executive Officer, NZTC who was joined by:
- Andy Barrow, Paralympian
- Vicky Dawe, Director of Energy Development and Resilience Directorate, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Jenny Marsden, UK Communications Manager, Equinor
- Doris Reiter, SVP North Sea, bp
- Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader, Scottish Labour Party
Andy Barrow
Paralympian
Andy is a triple Paralympian and three-time European gold medallist. He was a professional Wheelchair Rugby player for Great Britain for over a decade, captaining the team for five years spanning the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. Andy competed at London 2012 Paralympic Games before retiring internationally to pursue a career as an inspirational speaker and mentor.
Colette Cohen OBE
Chief Executive
Net Zero Technology Centre
Colette Cohen is the Chief Executive Officer for the Net Zero Technology Centre, an organisation committed to the research and development of technology to accelerate the Oil and Gas industry’s transition to an affordable net zero future. Colette has worked in the industry for more than 25 years, both in the UK & Internationally for BP, ConocoPhillips & Centrica E&P,
where she was the regional VP for the UK & Netherlands. Colette has a degree in Chemistry from Queens in Belfast, a masters in Project Management & Economics from CERAM in France and an honorary PhD from Aberdeen University. Colette was also
awarded the Order of the British Empire by the Queen for services to the Oil and Gas industry.
Colette is the Chair of the National Composites Centre and sits on the boards of OPITO, NORECO, DeepOcean and Technip Energies. She is also a Commissioner for the Just Transition Commission for Scotland and is an ambassador for Powerful Women. Colette is an active champion for the industrial transition of the oil and gas industry to a net zero future and a committed role model for women in industry.
Vicky Dawe
Director of Energy Development and Resilience Directorate
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Jenny Marsden
UK Communications Manager
Equinor
Jenny is the UK and Upstream Communication Manager for Equinor in the UK. In addition to managing communications for Equinor’s upstream business she manages the UK Communication team who support the breadth of Equinor’s activities across the UK including offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage. She has 18 years’ experience in external relations specialising in strategic communication, social impact management, non-technical risk and reputation management.
Her BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences from Warwick University led to a career in science communications after her dissertation explored how best to engage the general public in scientific and technical issues. After working on the Science Strategy Team at DEFRA where she worked with the Chief Scientific Adviser on contentious communication topics she completed a graduate trainee scheme at a Pharmaceutical PR Agency. In the following 15 years at Shell she worked across wide ranging projects from Sakhalin II and Alaska to country entry into Albania. She has a passion for early stakeholder engagement and creating shared value for communities. During her time in Denver she was responsible for the management of stakeholder-related risks for assets in the Rocky Mountain region. During her time on Shell’s New Business Development team she was the communications lead on 20+ deals totalling $8bn leading on reputational due diligence, communication strategy and implementation. Her last role in Shell was as Global Lead for Offshore Wind Communications in Shell where she helped grow the business from a team of 10 to over 150 people.
She is passionate about improving diversity across the energy sector and creating equal opportunities for all. In her spare time she enjoys outdoor activities (rowing, sailing, skiing, cycling and hiking), making music (singing, violin & piano) and entertaining friends and family in her South London home.
Doris Reiter
SVP North Sea
bp
Doris Reiter is the Senior Vice President for bp North Sea, based in Aberdeen responsible for North Sea oil and gas operations.
She was previously Vice President for Reservoir Development North Sea and Angola, accountable for driving the safe progression and production of resources from bp’s assets in both those regions.
Doris is a native of Austria and joined bp in 1998. She is a Reservoir Engineer by background and has held multiple engineering and technical leadership roles in the Gulf of Mexico, Angola and for bp centrally.
Doris has an MSc. equivalent in chemical and mechanical engineering from the University of Leoben, Austria and holds a PhD in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University.
Anas Sarwar MSP
Leader
Scottish Labour Party
Anas Sarwar was elected as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party in March 2021.
He has served as an MSP for Glasgow since 2016 Having previously been an MP for Glasgow Central.
Mr Sarwar studied dentistry at Glasgow University and worked in our NHS before entering politics.