The stories of resilient women across centuries and continents are endless and have notably helped in shaping the world today. History’s first recorded female physician is known as Merit Ptah of ancient Egypt. The self-made Catherine I of Russia, was born a servant and raised to the position of Empress by her own efforts. Other women have participated in the waves of reformation and revolution that created the modern world. They demanded the same rights as men. Feminism began to emerge as a global movement and women became inspired for greater freedoms including the right to vote, the right to equal pay and contributed to world wars. This which also elevated their place in society. Centuries later, the role of women shifted, and they entered the workplace in greater numbers.

Today women’s voices are not only being heard but appreciated and warranted.

In celebration of the International Women’s Day, we invited our COO, Josiah Brand, to answer a few questions and to share his thoughts on the significance of this important occasion and to to highlight the contributions of the talented women within Anzana Electric Group who contribute to our Company’s success every day.

Q1: Do you think that we need more women in the energy sector?

Over the past few years, we have seen significant progress in the number of women in the Africa energy sector generally, and especially at Anzana. Not long ago, we could count the number of women leaders in the sector on two hands and the number of women at Anzana on one hand. Thankfully, and because of some deliberate action on the part of the company, that is no longer the case. That said, we believe there is a need for a continued focus on ensuring that there is a level playing field for women to progress through the ranks of the sector and continuously build their careers at Anzana. Efforts like the ones our team is making around International Women’s Day are helpful, but we are also continuing to take deliberate steps to hire more women at senior and/or executive ranks within the Company, which we hope will further improve our approach and culture to ensure women at Anzana get the fair shot they deserve.

Q2: Are there any barriers that limit women’s participation in the energy sector?

The African energy sector is constantly under financial and operational strain because of its enduring market imbalances, mostly created by misguided policy and short-sighted regulation. Historically, this has meant that most private sector players (and many public utilities) constantly fight for survival and think a day ahead instead of a year ahead on important issues like recruiting and hiring, which has led to a lot of hiring “who you know.” Fortunately, in recent years, overall sector policy and regulation have improved and the investment climate has followed, at least in some markets, which has led to a growing sector and a growing number of boards and leaders that are willing and able to think strategically about recruiting and hiring and the benefits of having a workforce that is more representative of the sector customer base, which is majority women.

Q3: What are the benefits/ challenges of having women in leadership positions? 

Over the past year, we were excited to have Olivia Mans join us in a senior position and have Danae Pauli play a significant role. We also hired women into senior roles at Weza Power and for our budding portfolio in the DRC. The specific list of benefits is too long for this Q&A, but from our perspective it was a breath of fresh air to have women involved in nearly all strategic planning and problem-solving discussions and we saw marked improvement in the Company’s ability to develop projects, foresee and mitigate internal and external risk, be deliberate about shaping the Company’s culture, and so much more. We mentioned some of the structural challenges that have led to a male-dominated and insular sector to date above, but do not see those as significant barriers going forward, especially at Anzana.

Q4: Finally, what message would you like to share with the women across our operations today? 

Thank you for your efforts and high-quality work to date! The Company is very well-positioned for success due largely to our execution over the past 24 months, which is also the period in which we dramatically increased the percent of women in our workforce. We think it is more causing than correlation and appreciate everyone’s contribution. Anzana will continue to focus on merit and performance as we hire and promote going forward, but, as we have in the past, will work hard to ensure that our leadership team and workforce can meet our customers’ needs, which will require a balance at all levels. We think there are significant opportunities for women and men at all levels in the Company and are excited about how we will all grow together. 

Looking Ahead

We thank our COO for sharing his thoughts and invite everyone to take a moment to reflect on how we can all contribute to a more inclusive future.

Women mean business and have been smashing the glass ceiling on several fronts over the years whether as political leaders, professionals in the workplace, and rebels on the picket line. An inspiring book for those of you keen readers: “Women Our History by Dr. Lucy Worsley” which is all about the women who created changes throughout the era.”

While International Women’s Day is an important day of recognition, the commitment to supporting and empowering women extends far beyond a single moment on our calendar. It is reflected in the culture we build, the opportunities we create, and the respect and support we show one another every day.

As we celebrate the achievements of women across the Company, let us also continue working together to build a workplace where everyone can thrive.

Happy Women’s week!

By Marshiny | Internal IWD2026 Organizing Team