Every successful person has his/her own success stories, which are often shaped by continuous chain of experiences. In an interview with Insights Success, the of Managing Director of ENGIE,Nicole Iseppi, has shared her success story, experiences, challenges and the story about her early start in the energy/infrastructure sector. Thus, providing key ingredients of success for emerging entrepreneurs.
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between Nicole Iseppi and Insights Success:
What initially drew you to studying and practicing law?
I always enjoyed public speaking, communicating with people and solving problems and therefore, law offered a way to develop initial skills and knowledge that can be used to pursue such core drivers (especially my constant intrigue for problem solving). As I am a strong believer there is a solution to everything…we just (at times) need to think a little deeper and out of the box to find the best solution for some specific challenging situations. Plus, I grew up in a household where my father was very entrepreneurial and self-employed (he ran his own company) and therefore having such exposure since an early age to being commercial, made me want to go into the commercial/business sector to be part of offering solutions to solve current problems and challenges we face.
In what way has your experience helped you in your career since then and the work you do at present?
Having the privilege to begin my first decade of my career journey at a leading infrastructure law firm and then at a global leading financial institution (including, having the rare opportunity to also be appointed as lead adviser on the implementation of a new international green financial institution), in terms of both opportunities, training and also access to the minds and experience of such high caliber and leading professionals – allowed me the best opportunity to excel from the beginning and learn my core craft. I am a strong believer as we progress through this world we should always remember where we come from and be grateful for the opportunities and amazing people we meet and learn from – as they all steer us and develop us to be the person we are today and for tomorrow.
“It is the ability & wilingness to work hard and have the determination to achieve and make positive contributions, that will overcome any challenge that life may impose on you.”
How would you describe the experience of living and working overseas?
Interesting, as a young student I always aspired and hoped to have the opportunity to travel and discover more of the world. However, had you told me at such younger years that I would end up travelling the world to work in the international arena and be kindly respected by my energy and finance peers as a global expert – I think I would have been a little surprised. However – It has been one of the best opportunities both professionally and personally and would highly recommend it to all. It has led to my success today and the person I am today. I am a strong believer that we should immense our self into new cultures, new opportunities and meet new people to share our thoughts & experiences, to constantly re-develop our thought process to strive for further improved solutions to any challenge. Having the ability to travel for work – allows us to grow both intellectually and personally. Having that first overseas opportunity to work in Tokyo and since then having the opportunity to live and work in multiple cities around the globe (from Australia, Asia, Middle East to Europe) – has allowed me additional opportunities through my career, which I am very grateful of.
What are some of the changes and developments taking place in the industry that excite you the most? Do you feel hopeful about the future in terms of how the world can cope with some of the challenges it faces due to climate change?
I am an optimistic person – so I do feel hopeful for the future. If we actively aim to address the core issues in a collobrative manner and are open to thinking out of the box and being constantly more innovative, we can find a solution to these challenges.
One of the biggest global challenges currently is how we all progress through this current global energy transition. However, I am of the view that this transition (although it may of started specifically within the global energy sector) is no longer exclusively limited to the energy sector only. In fact, when I speak at international conferences, including a proud opportunity to be asked in the past to speak at the G20 Infrastructure Meeting, as an industry expert – I express the view that we are now at the start of a new industrial revolution. A revolution that can be described at least within the global energy sector as a new “3D World”. That is – a future of more “Decentralised” energy; a future focused on “Decarbonisation” and a more “Digitalised” future society. The speed of change is accelerating, and one needs to more than ever, constantly re-adapt and move with the times. Such challenge and opportunity I find ever more exciting – especially in my passion and pursuit for problem solving. We have many exciting opportunities ahead and the best way to address many of them, is to collaborate more within the industry in order to push the boundaries of what is possible and the ability to innovate more (at all levels of the value chain) – to achieve more efficiency and higher quality levels of output.
What are the greatest challenges you’ve encountered in the course of your career, and how did you overcome them?
I think the way the modern world functions, does not matter what industry or profession we work in, we constantly face change and disruption. Which raises the challenge of how do you best lead in times of disruption. My best advice in terms of any challenge – and it is something I have done since an early start of my career. Is that if a job is worth doing it is worth doing properly. And we just have to be persistent and constantly look for greater efficiency, improvements and ability to innovate & include more diversity at all levels of the organization and value chain. It is one’s ability to work hard and have the determination to achieve and make positive contributions, that will overcome any challenge that life may impose on us. My advice is, just gather all your courage and most of all, believe in yourself. Back yourself to achieve and make sure you have a good support network around you to collaborate and share thoughts, and most of all, make the best of every opportunity.
