POWERFUL WOMEN ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHAIR MONICA COLLINGS
- Nick Pelekanos
- May 6
- 4 min read
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POWERful Women (PfW) [1] is delighted to announce the appointment of Monica Collings [2] as its new Chair, with effect from 1st May. Monica succeeds Katie Jackson, who is stepping down at the end of her three-year tenure.
Nick Wayth, CEO of the Energy Institute and Board Member of PfW said:“We are thrilled to welcome Monica Collings as the new Chair of POWERful Women. Monica brings a wealth of experience, having held CEO and board roles across major energy companies, and is widely recognised for her unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Monica’s proven track record in championing gender equality, driving sustainability, and mentoring future leaders makes her the ideal person to guide us through POWERful Women’s pivotal next chapter. Monica’s passion will be invaluable as we work to achieve our goal of at least 40% female representation in UK energy sector leadership and middle management by 2030.
I would also like to extend our sincere thanks to MWM Consulting for their expert support and guidance throughout the competitive search process. Their advice has been instrumental in helping us find the right leader to take POWERful Women forward.”
Monica Collings is the award-winning former Chief Executive of So Energy, at which time she was the sole female CEO of a domestic energy supplier. She is a well-known portfolio Chair, non-executive director and strategic advisor in the energy industry.
A long-time advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion and champion of POWERful Women’s mission, Monica previously sat on its Leaders Coalition [3], a group of energy company leaders who have made a public commitment to driving better gender diversity and inclusion in their companies and the sector.
Monica Collings commented:“I am thrilled to be taking on the role of Chair at POWERful Women at such a pivotal time for both the energy transition and diversity in leadership. With just five years to go to 2030, achieving our 40% female representation target is more relevant than ever. I look forward to working alongside the Board, the team, POWERful Women’s Leaders Coalition and the entire network – from industry leaders to the incredible women driving change – to accelerate progress and make this ambition a reality.”
On 11 June, Monica will launch POWERful Women’s Annual State of the Nation, revealing the latest statistics on female representation in the UK energy sector and what needs to be delivered to close the gap to the 40% target. [4]
Outgoing Chair Katie Jackson commented;“It has been a privilege to chair POWERful Women over the last three years, through two key milestones for the initiative: the launch of a more ambitious target for women in leadership and middle management in the UK energy sector; and its 10th anniversary, celebrating the tremendous progress that has been made by all the brilliant people involved, but also an opportunity to issue a call to action to go faster and do better.I believe that now, more than ever, we must all be vocal in championing the business case for better diversity, equity and inclusion and I know that Monica will be excellent in this role. I wish her every success and I hope she enjoys it as much as I have.”
Nick Wayth added;“On behalf of the Board and the entire POWERful Women network, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Katie Jackson for her outstanding leadership over the past three years. Katie has steered POWERful Women through significant milestones and her dedication and drive have inspired real progress. We are deeply grateful for her huge contribution to advancing gender diversity in the energy sector.”
Alongside MWM’s search process, the vacancy was openly advertised and the PfW Board was pleased to receive a high level of interest and a diverse set of excellent candidates.
CONTACT FOR MEDIA ENQUIRES:Anna Stanford, Communications Adviser: +44 7961 234634 anna@powerfulwomen.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
POWERful Women is a professional initiative working for a gender-balanced, diverse and inclusive energy sector. Founded in 2014 and hosted by the Energy Institute, our goal is for women to be in at least 40% of middle management and leadership roles in the UK energy sector by 2030. We challenge and report on companies’ progress; support and connect women to develop and advance their careers; and provide practical support to companies through sharing good practice. powerfulwomen.org.uk; LinkedIn: POWERful Women; Bluesky: @powerfulwomen.bsky.social
Monica Collings is an influential leader, well known for her contributions to the energy transition. Monica previously served as the award-winning Chief Executive of retail energy disruptor So Energy, where she led the successful merger with ESB Energy. Her industry expertise includes executive roles at Vattenfall and transformative positions in retail, home improvement, property, and automotive – offering a unique lens on the interconnected challenges of decarbonisation. Through her portfolio of Chair, non-executive and strategic advisory roles across utilities and infrastructure, Monica is passionately committed to amplifying customer voices in boardrooms and advancing gender diversity in the workplace. Having served as the sole female CEO of a domestic energy supplier during her tenure, she continues to advocate for inclusive leadership and equitable solutions in the energy sector.
Find out more about POWERful Women’s Leaders Coalition here: https://powerfulwomen.org.uk/energy-leaders-coalition/
POWERful Women’s Annual State of the Nation 2025, in collaboration with Bain & Company, will take place on the morning of 11 June. Find out more and register to join the livestream here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/powerful-womens-state-of-the-nation-2025-tickets-1326427984809?aff=oddtdtcreator
A photo of Monica is available on request.
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