Empowering women is not just a moral imperative; it’s a strategic advantage for Africa’s sustainable development. In this conversation, Melissa Wilkinson, Chief People Officer at Pele Energy Group, offers a fresh perspective on how gender equity unlocks economic resilience, community well-being, and long-term growth across the continent. Melissa shares insights into how inclusive practices and people-centered leadership are driving real, measurable impact not only within organisations but across African society.
1. What key moments shaped your rise from scholarship recipient to C-suite leader?
It started with access. Receiving a scholarship gave my mother and me more than financial relief; it gave us the belief that I belonged in a space where few women, especially black women, were visible. Another defining moment came early in my career, when I realised that technical skill alone wouldn’t break ceilings; I had to learn to lead, to influence, and to speak the language of strategy and impact. But the deepest shifts came through mentorship and failure, being guided, being underestimated, and pushing through anyway. Each of those experiences shaped how I show up today: grounded, strategic, and unapologetically purpose-led.
2. How do you define true empowerment for women in the energy sector?
Empowerment is often misunderstood as just giving women opportunities. But to me, true empowerment is about control over resources, a voice in decision-making, and the freedom to lead authentically. In energy, that means women must be driving technical innovation, negotiating deals, shaping policy, and owning equity. It is not just about bringing women into existing systems; it is about letting them redesign those systems in ways that are more just and sustainable.
3. How does empowering women drive sustainable development in Africa?
Women don’t just bring diversity, they bring systems thinking, empathy, and a deep understanding of community-level needs. When women are empowered in sectors like energy, agriculture, or education, we see ripple effects: improved household incomes, better education outcomes, and greater climate resilience. Empowered women reinvest in their families and communities, closing intergenerational gaps. That is not charity; that is a sound development strategy. Africa can’t reach its full potential if half of its population is sidelined.
4. Can you share a time when women’s leadership led to better outcomes?
Yes, during a community solar project about ten years ago, it was a group of local women leaders who pushed for the inclusion of early childhood development centres in the electrification plan of the solar plant. That was not part of the original scope, but their leadership shifted the focus from just infrastructure to human impact. Because of their advocacy, the project ended up not only delivering clean power but also improving access to early education. That is the kind of holistic thinking women bring to development work; it’s not just about megawatts, but about futures.
5. How do Pele’s people policies support Africa’s development goals?
At Pele, we align our people strategy and policy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely;.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
We are intentional about creating a workplace where women are not just represented but empowered, particularly in technical and leadership roles where they’ve been historically excluded. Our leadership development, mentorship pipelines, and gender-responsive policies are designed to challenge the status quo and enable women to thrive in a sector that’s rapidly evolving.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
We take pride in offering more than jobs; we create career pathways. Whether through local hiring during project construction or long-term upskilling programmes, we are committed to decent work standards, fair remuneration, and growth opportunities for all employees. We also invest in supplier development and local enterprise, multiplying the impact in communities where we operate.
SDG 13: Climate Action
We embed sustainability into both our business and our workforce. Our people understand the role they play in advancing climate solutions, and our HR strategy supports climate action through education, engagement, and culture. It is not just the engineers and technicians every employee sees themselves as part of the energy transition
So when we say, “We don’t just hire; we build futures,” we mean it. We’re building a workforce that reflects the future we want to see: equitable, skilled, climate-conscious, and deeply invested in transforming South Africa and the continent.
6. What needs to change so women’s leadership becomes the norm, not the exception?
We need to move from symbolic representation to structural transformation. That means changing the way we hire, fund, and promote. Leadership needs to be redefined. Not just by years of experience or networks, but by adaptability, collaboration, and the ability to lead inclusively. We also need to stop asking women to adjust to male-dominated environments. Instead, those environments must evolve to reflect the diversity of the continent they serve.
7. How do you ensure women aren’t just tokens in male-dominated industries?
It starts with building real pipelines, not just putting a woman on a panel or in a photo. We focus on long-term mentorship, access to technical training, and exposure to leadership opportunities. In our teams, we make sure women are leading strategy, managing budgets, and influencing core decisions. Tokenism happens when inclusion is performative. Real empowerment happens when women shape outcomes.
8. What role do young women play in Africa’s green future?
They’re not just participants. They are the architects of the future. Young women are innovating, mobilising, and reframing how we think about climate, energy, and justice. But they are often doing this work with limited resources. If we can support them with funding, mentorship, and access to platforms, the green economy can become a space of true transformation. Not just environmental, but economic and social too.
9. What support helped you most as a young woman in your career?
I needed two things: access and belief. Access to education, networks, and leadership opportunities. And people-especially women, believed in me even when I didn’t fully believe in myself. That combination is powerful. It is what I now try to give to others coming up behind me.
10. How can governments and companies better support women in clean energy?
Governments should mandate and incentivise gender equity in public procurement, project ownership, and skills development. That’s how we shift the needle. Companies need to get serious about talent development, not just ticking boxes, but intentionally acquiring talent, training, and retaining women at every level. We also need more public-private collaboration around gender-smart energy policy and innovation funding. Supporting women in energy is not an HR issue -it is an economic growth and climate action issue.
11. What gender-equity policies or models have really worked?
What has worked best are policies that combine economic empowerment with practical support-like bursary programmes tied to technical mentorship, or procurement frameworks that favour women-owned businesses.
12. What legacy do you hope to leave for women and sustainable communities in Africa?
I hope to leave a legacy of access and accountability. I want to be part of the generation that didn’t just talk about transformation but built structures that made it real. A legacy where women, especially African women, don’t have to fight to be heard or seen. Where communities aren’t just beneficiaries of clean energy, but owners of it. A future where sustainable development is led by those who understand what is at stake because they have lived it.
