30572_Kao Data Critical Careers_Pages - Flipbook - Page 94
How did you get into digital infrastructure?
began my career with a background in 昀椀nance, originally planning to go
into investment banking. But after a conversation with a mentor, I pivoted to
engineering and joined a joint venture between Jacobs, the engineering and
technology 昀椀rm, and OCP, the world’s largest phosphate company. I spent the
next few years working on global mining and minerals projects, primarily in Africa
and the U.S. while also completing an LLM in Corporate and Commercial Law.
I
As the joint venture evolved, it launched a new division focused on the energy
transition. I worked with that team and quickly discovered a real passion for the
energy space. That experience opened the door to a new opportunity at ENGIE,
the French utility company and global energy leader. I started out working on
the development and 昀椀nancing of conventional power and gas projects —
things like combined cycle gas turbines and lique昀椀ed natural gas — as well as
renewables, including geothermal, solar, wind and green hydrogen.
Soumaya
Graine
Strategic Negotiations Lead,
Yondr
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After several years, I was invited to join ENGIE’s two-year executive leadership
昀椀nance program, where I completed two assignments with the global Corporate
Finance and M&A teams. I spent that time working mainly on acquisitions and
divestments in the energy sector. While I really valued the experience, I came to
realize that my true passion lies in project development and 昀椀nance.
Around that same time, an executive search 昀椀rm reached out about a new
opportunity with Yondr. I wasn’t actively looking, but as I re昀氀ected on my career, I
realized that digital infrastructure was the missing piece. I had touched different
parts of infrastructure but not digital. COVID had accelerated the shift to cloud,
and conversations around AI and machine learning were gaining momentum.
Data centres were no longer just real estate but were becoming critical
infrastructure around the world.
After speaking with the leadership team at Yondr and feeling aligned with the
company’s values and mission, I decided to take the leap. My path to digital
infrastructure wasn’t random, but rather a natural next step.
