The 25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars honors the remarkable women who are driving the future of Africa’s energy sector. Among these influential leaders is Amoetsoe Mkwena, a Senior Associate at international law firm Watson Farley & Williams. Mkwena has been instrumental in advancing sustainable development across Africa by providing guidance to global investors and project developers, helping to unlock opportunities across Africa’s power, renewable, hydrocarbon and mining sectors.
Could you provide a brief overview of your journey in the energy industry that led to your current role? What are some key achievements or milestones that you are particularly proud of?
When choosing a specialism, my heritage and affinity with Africa were a significant influence, spurring my career and interests even more so now as a Senior Associate at Watson Farley & Williams. I qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales and worked on energy transactions across the full lifecycle of projects with a focus on Africa. I am most proud of the geographical spread and impact of the projects on my deal sheet. I have worked on projects in Zimbabwe (where I grew up), Zambia, South Africa, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar and Egypt.
Many of these projects have been ‘first in kind’ or first of their nature in a particular jurisdiction and have been of significant value. Whether it’s a $15 billion mining project in Guinea, a 200MW wind project in Egypt, or a $67 million solar project in Malawi, these projects are forecast to be transformative in their relevant jurisdictions and, most importantly, to the population. The potential impact of these projects once they reach commercial operation is a source of immense pride and gratitude for me.
The energy industry is known for its complexities. What were some significant challenges you faced along the way, and how did you navigate through them to achieve your goals?
A key challenge regarding access to energy in Africa is the lack of financial support or foreign investment for projects. With many of the projects being “first in kind,” an educational aspect is often also required, making risks difficult to quantify or solutions novel for new entrants into the relevant market. This has often led to protracted and costly negotiation processes in many of the transactions, which also leads to complex and highly compromised solutions. The key to success has always been to cultivate a collaborative environment, rather than viewing transaction counterparts as adversaries.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to excel in the energy sector?
I learnt about the importance of personal branding very early on in my career. As women in a male-dominated industry, it can be difficult to have the confidence to speak up, challenge authority and display your unique intelligence and skillset. I overcame this by spending time considering the impression that I want to leave people with when I leave a room.
I have taken a mosaic approach to building who I want to be professionally, picking and choosing the best parts of each of my role models. I recommend young women in energy to continuously read, plan and learn to improve skills and confidence. Participating in conversations with both junior and seniors in meetings and discussions will help nurture growth. I urge females to also seek out and make use of mentors to optimize their career.
A career in energy can be demanding. Could you describe a typical day in your life?
I do not have a typical day! At any one point, I may have up to five transactions running at the same time. Other times, I might be travelling to attend conferences or meetings; or I may be writing articles and working on my professional development. Sometimes deals require multi-jurisdictional approach and teams from Watson Farley & Williams’ Dubai, London and Paris offices. Hence, I have to work strategically to ensure I accommodate workloads from across our global offices and clients.
Looking ahead, what changes or advancements do you hope to see in the energy sector? How do you envision your role in shaping that future?
I have written about, debated and dreamt about sub-Saharan Africa using its natural resources to advance the population. In the energy sector, there is a vast potential for the promotion, development and construction of renewable energy assets to increase energy capacity and bring us closer to universal energy access. The lack of access to energy in Africa is a pressing issue that hampers its economic development. Africa needs to attract and maintain diversified foreign investment for energy projects and advance new technologies such as battery energy storage to address the intermittency of renewables. In the short term, we must continue the conversation, gathering industry leaders from across the globe to debate and develop these solutions.
