This week, Women in Solar+ Europe gives the voice to Iualia Meirosu, Group CFO and board member at the Romanian Enexus. She says that Romania’s renewable energy sector is no longer just for engineers; it is a space where women and men can thrive in the areas of business, finance, strategy and project management.
Historically, Romania’s renewable energy sector, especially field operations, has been male-dominated, largely due to traditional views on technical roles. However, as the sector has grown rapidly across Europe, teams have diversified alongside this expansion. About 28% of students graduating from university education programs in Romania are in STEM fields, and a significant share of them are women. This shows that there is untapped potential in this sector and that there is also room for female engineers, designers, IT specialists and other technical roles that help the energy sector grow and diversify.
Yet renewable energy sources today require not only excellent technology, but also strong capabilities in operations, finance, purchasing, commercial strategy and stakeholder management. A diversity of roles for both men and women. At Enexus, in a team of 45 people, women represent 50% of our board and a significant part of our teams, across generations and cultures (Turkish and Romanian). Every day I see how this balance improves the quality of decision-making and resilience, which are crucial in a rapidly evolving energy market. Women at Enexus are truly the driving force behind change, scale and profit in the areas of business development and finance, but also in activities such as design, permits and licensing, and project management.
DEI contributes to the overall resilience and success of the renewable energy sector by broadening the talent pool and reducing structural blind spots. In Romania, more and more women are graduating from technical universities, reflecting a broader societal effort to overcome outdated stereotypes that have historically led them away from dynamic industries such as renewables. Energy today is about much more than just on-site engineering, opening up diverse functions within departments and adding measurable value to businesses.
At Enexus, attracting talent is a priority as we continue to grow, supported by internship programs and open positions for both women and men. I myself have not grown ‘within’ the energy sector. My background is in banking, an industry where structured career paths and merit-based advancement are more entrenched. I moved there and transferred skills to these two sectors. I brought expertise in financial strategy, risk management and governance to an industry that urgently needed these capabilities. And where the speed of progress is enormous.
As a personal rule, I have not waited for validation from this or any industry. I focused on delivering value consistently and ensuring I participated in the growth. What helped most was staying anchored in competence. Women must determine their path because growth comes from skills, not labels.
Looking back, this experience shaped how I view both leadership and the energy industry today. Over the years, I have clearly seen the measurable impact of bringing diverse perspectives to teams. Diverse leadership teams tend to challenge assumptions earlier and assess risks more holistically. At Enexus, our balanced governance and multicultural teams: Romanian and Turkish, millennials and Gen Z, have directly contributed to more structured decision-making in complex investment and execution contexts.
This is reflected in tangible results. In 2024, Enexus achieved a tenfold increase in annual turnover to approximately € 23 million, and contracted more than 250 MW for completed and ongoing projects. 2025 ended with a greater capacity, and 2026 began with greater ambitions that I would like to share with you soon. Diversity, including in terms of skills and backgrounds, has also influenced the way we approach bankability, partnerships and long-term value creation. This is reflected in the execution discipline, the quality of the investor dialogue and our ability to scale quickly in a volatile market.
To young women entering the sector, I would say that this is a very good time to enter the renewable energy sector. It is dynamic, fast growing and offers a wide range of functions outside the construction site. Don’t be intimidated by the technical aspects; Many positions allow you to grow in the industry while learning on the job.
Romania has great experts in the energy field, with years of expertise and a clear vision of how this sector should develop in the coming years. Find mentors who understand the industry deeply and are willing to invest time in your development. At Enexus we actively guide young professionals, because we believe that learning through real projects is the most powerful accelerator. 70% of last year’s interns and new hires were women.
Be curious, patient and consistent and own your growth. Opportunities follow.
Iulia Meiroșu is a financial strategist and business transformation leader with 20 years of international experience in banking, fintech and renewable energy. She is currently Group CFO and board member at Enexus, where she coordinates the strategic financial management and investment structure for state-of-the-art solar projects, while also expanding her leadership role as CEO at Verdeo, the asset management and commercial activities arm within the Enexus Group. Highlights of her career include coordinating the Affluent & Private banking business segments at BRD – Groupe Société Générale, and promoting fintech innovation as Secretary General of the Romanian Fintech Companies Association. A graduate of the MBA program at the WU Executive Academy, Iulia is known for her agile and data-driven approach, redesigning business strategies and digital transformations in today’s dynamic energy landscape.
Interested in joining Iulia Mierosu and other female market leaders and experts at Women in Solar+ Europe? More information: www.wiseu.network
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