Gwen Folland is Head of Government and Stakeholder Relations based in the London office. She has also been Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Petrofac and, prior to that, travelled widely with the UK government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with postings in Moscow, Botswana, Sweden and Germany.

“I didn’t follow the textbook pathway into Petrofac. My background was varied, working in the Foreign Office, the City, the charity sector and Local Government.  I worked and travelled with Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister - which tells you how long I’ve been around!

“Sadly, there aren’t many women with my years of experience in Petrofac, and I think that’s a real missed opportunity. The experience and contacts anyone might gain over the years can be incredibly valuable and certainly bring a different, broader perspective in meetings and interactions with colleagues, in a way that is not hierarchical and also values and respects cultural differences.  

“I really enjoy talking to people of all ages in the company, but especially with younger colleagues and sometimes I am asked to be their mentor. Although there are good company mentoring schemes in place, mine are very informal arrangements and I don’t think you should have to wait for the company to initiate things.

“Petrofac has given me incredible opportunities by way of challenging roles with an international slant, where I have continued to visit amazing places and enjoy the cultural diversity in Petrofac. I feel I have a lot to share and at this stage – it’s less about my career and more about doing a good job and giving back.   

“Keep looking for new opportunities later in your career. Don’t wait for them to come to you. I’ve always been interested in stretching myself to learn new things and have recently been retraining in new energy services, learning about the energy transition and new technologies, which is great for me and great for the company. This is something I’ve driven myself, so don’t wait to be sent on a course, take the initiative yourself.

“We’re all living and working for longer, and everyone benefits from that – including the country’s GDP! We are generally healthier too (thankfully!) so my advice is no matter what stage of your career, keep taking on new and interesting challenges!  

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