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WOMEN IN ENERGY
• •
• 5% of board executives
14% of board members (executives &
non-executive directors)
13% of senior management teams
So yes, gender does matter. The
industry should have more professional
women including accountants, engineers
and lawyers, who form part of the
policy and regulation decision-making
processes. The study by EY revealed a direct
linkage between gender diversity and
business performance. For the power
industry to reap the rewards of diversity
in the boardroom there should be more
women who are encouraged to this
field. Whereas I advocate for deliberate
action, I do not agree with regulation to
set gender quotas; rather a call should
be made to promote women high-flyers
on merit.
ESI Your career has been an
example of promoting diversity at
board level. What were the important
decision/stepping stones that led you
to your current position?
FN As a child I grew up with a dream
of being a banker. That informed
my decision to study Commerce &
Accounting at undergraduate level. In
pursuit of joining the corporate world,
I was given an opportunity to join the
graduate trainee programme in the power
sector. However, over the past 10 years, I
have discovered a new passion. Serving
in the power sector enables me to add
value to the communities. In a simple
rural household, children are able to
read for extended hours both at home
and at school, the small-scale farmer
can add value to their produce and earn
more money, communities in rural areas
charge mobile phones and connect with
the rest of the world.
ESI Please share your successes
that have had a dramatic influence in
the company and Uganda.
FN I have participated in a number of
projects that have positively impacted
on the community, such as in June
2013, when Africa celebrated the ‘Day
of The African Child’, I teamed up with
a Ugandan born British Army soldier
Thomas Musuuza forming the initiative
‘Dress A Child in Uganda’.
Through this project, we both took
time off work to meet and share our own
90 Florence Nsubuga (right) was presented with her award by Ayanda Nakedi of Eskom
On being announced the winner of the African Utility Week Industry Award for the
Outstanding Woman in Power/Water, Nsubuga said: “I am humbled by this award. It
takes me back to when I was a little girl and my grandmother, who was a farmer, and
had no electricity so her days always ended early. Little did I know that I was able to
later add so much value to her life as a farmer where she was able to be so much
more productive when she got electricity. I am very proud to be part of that story”.
stories as leaders within recognized
organizations with less privileged
children in some of the country’s poorest
communities. We met and engaged with
street children, young teenage mothers
and orphans, giving out used clothing
and school supplies in a mission to
share love and raise hopes within the
disadvantaged community.
Using my position as one of the
leading women in the country and with
the support of colleagues, I will continue
to focus on such projects and others to
run this among other projects within the
community. In another instance and as part
of the women’s day celebrations in
2015, I championed the sponsorship
and partnership between Umeme and
CASE hospital to deliver health care and
counselling services to disadvantaged
women and children women to one on
the big slums in Kampala – Katanga.
I am an inspirational speaker
empowering women to exceed beyond
the norm. I have particularly challenged
the women at Umeme to live ambitiously
and not just exist.
As the COO of Umeme I led the
improvement strategies of operational
and financial results using my leadership
style of empowerment, accountability and
integrity. As a result, the business has
doubled in size over the past five years
and attracted international investors into
the sector. Umeme has delivered on
the regulatory targets over the years.
Together with the team we have reduced
distribution losses from 38% to 21.3%,
improved collection rates from 85% to
99%.The above efficiencies have saved
the sector in Uganda about USD$500
million over the past 10 years and as
a result the distribution tariff has been
stable. As a result of Umeme’s success
story power utilities and governments
from across Africa; Ghana, Zanzibar,
Tanzania, Cameroon, Zambia have
visited Uganda to understand the
business model and the policy framework
supporting this success in order to cause
transformation of the energy sectors in
their own countries to drive growth.
Umeme’s unique organizational
structure is set out to strengthen
accountability on the ground. The
country is divided into regions/districts
that are managed as business units and
headed by a business manager. Key
performance indicators (KPIs) are agreed
on and tracked on a monthly basis with a
reward mechanism in place to incentivise
the business managers and all staff.
ESI What are your personal values
and how do these spill over into your
working environment?
FN I am very passionate about the
energy sector because of the impact that
it has on the households, community
and national level. As a result, I am
committed to deliver and I empower
and hold my teams to account to deliver
results. ESI What are your top three
predictions for the energy market in
Africa in the next five years?
FN Firstly, digitalization of the customer
relationship aspect of our business.
The power industry will transform to
meet the expectations of more informed
and empowered customers. Secondly,
I believe that due to the increased
focus to drive access to power in Africa
to stimulate growth, the regulatory
environment will change to encourage
ESI AFRICA ISSUE 2 2015