This week, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives the voice to Oana Ijdelea, the founder and managing partner of the Romanian law firm Ijdelea & Associates. She says there is no objective barrier that prevents women from pursuing a career in the sustainable sector. However, there is a vicious circle in which women can become reluctant to apply for a role where men appear to be more present, and on the other hand, the lack of female presence in such roles does not encourage other women to step in.
It could be recognized that the traditional energy industry has long been male-dominated and can be seen as an obstacle to gender diversity. Although progress has been made in recent years, women are still underrepresented and may be reluctant to join such an environment. However, the renewable industry has created new opportunities for women. Our industries are still young and while there is a degree of technical acumen regardless of one’s position or job, they offer the opportunity to learn from scratch and grow alongside male colleagues, rather than being at a disadvantage due to lack of experience and role models as is the case in traditional industries.
The female presence is predominant in Romania’s legal and regulatory landscape. This can probably be explained by the greater patience and willingness to process and work with details that women tend to have compared to men. Looking at the challenges and very ambitious targets set in the sustainable energy sector in general, the greater involvement of women is welcomed as certain issues can be tackled more subtly and with specific female determination. But I strongly believe that an objective separation between women and men is not productive.
I don’t think there is an objective block that prevents women from pursuing a career in the sustainable sector. At a national level, we see no differences in terms of wages or working hours based on gender in Romania. However, regardless of the context, men will never feel alone at the discussion table, while women often do. There is a vicious cycle in which women can become reluctant to apply for a role where men appear to be more present, and on the other hand, the lack of female presence in such roles does not encourage other women to step in.
In terms of changes, I think what needs to change is the perspective of team leaders. They should be more aware that “people” are the most important resource, regardless of whether they are male or female, because they are the organization you lead. Tendency towards people, empathy and communication are indispensable for any functional albeit high-performing entity, and the responsibility for the coexistence of these elements will always lie with whoever leads them and ultimately they make the difference between a leader and a leader. and a boss. In any environment where empathy and communication are present, women will certainly be more willing to start a career.
I have never perceived the presence of a man to stimulate, animate or, on the contrary, to arouse fear, not even a reverent fear, any more than a woman can do it, and in various situations I met and worked with men who held all kinds of positions of power. Most of the executives I deal with, who are our customers, are men. I have never seen their mere presence determine the trajectory of an argument or the relationship any more than a woman can. However, as an entrepreneur I discovered that people, both women and men, are very careful with young people. Many of the blocks or challenges I have experienced in the past depended on the fact that I was young and not on the fact that I was a woman.
My first project development mandate – a wind farm in eastern Romania, was an extraordinary ride in every way: an exotic project for that time in Romania, a complexity of never-before-seen mandates, a unique dual learning experience, on the emerging renewable energy industry, but also about the depth and length of one’s abilities and determination, and first and foremost about the importance of being given the opportunity to perform and prove myself at a very young age.
For young people starting their careers, the most important thing to understand is that fulfillment and success mean different things to each of us. Therefore, everyone should try to find out what that means for themselves. By getting to know oneself better, it becomes easier to set goals in life and to focus and sustain efforts to achieve them. Something that is often ignored is that there are no shortcuts to success. Accept that work is inevitable and essential to success. You have to work for the things you want in life; Nothing is free, even if it sometimes seems that way, and nothing stays with you if you don’t know how to preserve and care for what you have.
Oana IJdelea is the founder and managing partner of IJdelea & Associates. She is a highly skilled corporate lawyer with more than 17 years of experience in energy and natural resources and related regulatory issues, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and project financing. Throughout her career, Oana, as lead counsel, has successfully managed the entire spectrum of legal issues affecting some of Romania’s pioneering energy projects. She routinely advises an international community of clients on the most challenging and strategic matters relating to C-suite decision-making regarding project development and investments in Romania, as well as on exit arrangements, including private equity transactions. Oana is also recognized for her substantial contributions to drafting legislation regulating a wide range of industries and areas. For more than a decade, Oana has successfully led significant advocacy efforts for energy sector associations such as the Romanian Black Sea Titleholders Association (RBSTA) and the Oil & Gas Employers Association (FPPG). In January 2024, Oana was appointed board member of the Romanian Wind Energy Association (RWEA). She is also an ambassador for the Women in Solar Europe Network.
Interested in joining Oana Ijdelea and other female leaders and industry experts at Women in Solar Europe? Find out more: www.wiseu.network
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