‘Women need to own their path, because growth comes from skills, not labels’

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">This week Women in Solar+ Europe gives voice to Iualia Meirosu, Group CFO &amp; Board Member at Romania's Enexus. She says that Romania’s renewable energy sector is no longer just for engineers - it’s a space where women and men can thrive across operations, finance, strategy, and project management.</span></p><p>Historically, the renewable energy sector in Romania, especially field operations, has been male-dominated, largely due to traditional perceptions around technical roles. However, as the industry has grown rapidly across Europe, teams have diversified alongside this expansion. Around 28% of students graduating from university education programs in Romania are in STEM fields, and a significant share of them are women. This shows there is untapped potential and also room in this industry for women engineers, designers, IT specialists and other technical roles that help the energy sector grow and diversify.</p>
<p>Still, today, renewables require not only engineering excellence, but also strong capabilities in operations, finance, procurement, commercial strategy and stakeholder management. So 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 share 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 critical in a fast-evolving energy market. Women in Enexus really drive change, scale, and profit across business development and finance, as well as operations such as design, permitting & licensing, and project management.</p>
<p>DEI contributes to the overall resilience and success of the renewable energy sector by widening the talent pool and reducing structural blind spots. In Romania, increasingly more women graduate from technical universities, reflecting a broader societal effort to move beyond outdated stereotypes that have historically steered them away from dynamic industries like renewables. Energy today is about much more than on-site engineering, opening up diverse roles across departments and adding measurable value to businesses.</p>
<p>At Enexus, as we continue to scale, attracting talent is a priority, supported through internship programmes and open positions for both women and men. I, myself, did not grow “within” the energy industry. My background is in banking, an industry where structured career paths and merit-based progression are more entrenched. I transitioned into it and transferred skills across these two industries. I brought financial strategy, risk management and governance expertise into a sector that urgently needed these capabilities. And where the speed of progress is immense.</p>
<p>As a personal rule, I did not wait for validation from this or any industry. I focused on delivering value consistently and on making sure that I participated in growth. What helped most was staying anchored in competence. Women need to own their path, because growth comes from skills, not labels.</p>
<p>Looking back, this experience shaped how I see both leadership and the energy sector today. Over the years, I have seen very clearly the measurable impacts of bringing diverse perspectives into teams. Diverse leadership teams tend to challenge assumptions earlier and assess risk more holistically. At Enexus, our balanced board and multicultural teams: Romanian and Turkish, millennials and Gen Z, have directly contributed to more structured decision-making in complex investment and execution contexts.</p>
<p>This is reflected in tangible results. In 2024, Enexus achieved a tenfold year-on-year increase in turnover, reaching approximately €23 million, and contracted over 250 MW across completed and ongoing projects. 2025 ended with increased capacity, and 2026 began with greater ambitions that I am looking forward to sharing with you soon. Diversity, also in terms of skills & backgrounds, has also influenced how we approach bankability, partnerships and long-term value creation, showing up in execution discipline, investor dialogue quality and our ability to scale quickly in a volatile market.</p>
<p>To young women entering the industry, I would say this is a very good moment to enter the renewable energy sector. It is dynamic, fast-growing and offers a wide range of roles beyond construction sites. Don’t be intimidated by the technical aspects; many roles allow you to grow into the industry while learning on the job.</p>
<p>Romania has great experts in energy, with years of expertise and a clear vision on how this sector should develop in the years to come. Seek mentors who deeply understand the sector and are willing to invest time in your development. At Enexus, we actively mentor young professionals because we believe learning through real projects is the most powerful accelerator. 70% of interns and new hires last year have been women.</p>
<p>Be curious, patient and consistent and own your growth. Opportunities follow.</p>
<p><em>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 operations arm within the Enexus Group. Her career highlights include coordinating the Affluent & Private banking business segments at BRD – Groupe Société Générale, as well as promoting fintech innovation as Secretary General of the Romanian Fintech Companies Association. A graduate of the MBA program at WU Executive Academy, Iulia is recognized for her agile and data-driven approach, redesigning business strategies and digital transformations in today’s dynamic energy landscape.</em></p>
<p><em>Interested in joining Iulia Mierosu</em> <em>and other women industry leaders and experts at Women in Solar+ Europe? Find out more: <a href="https://circularsynergies.com/wiseu/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">www.wiseu.network</a></em></p>