“My work varies so much that no day is like another”
09/11/2020
Women in Tech - Olga Zouboff, Energy Manager
Olga Zouboff’s story is living proof that it’s possible to combine a successful career at Air Liquide with motherhood. Olga (37) works as an Energy Manager and is a mother of two...
“At the time I opted for a ‘Languages and Business’ education and then obtained a master’s in General Management,” Olga says. “Not the most obvious education for an industrial environment like Air Liquide’s, but that didn’t hinder me at any moment.” Although her surname might suggest otherwise - she inherited it from her Russian grandparents - Olga has Belgian nationality and lives in Brussels.
Technical and economic challenges
Before arriving at Air Liquide, Olga had already enjoyed a successful career at ENGIE. “In my early years at ENGIE, I followed a rotation programme to get to know the different departments of the company. After that, I worked as Gas Transport Manager for a few years, before ending up in a position where I was responsible for optimising the company’s power plants.”
“The job had its technical side - for example you have to take the limits of the generation capacity into account - and there were economic aspects, such as ‘make or buy’ decisions: whether to produce power or buy power on the market.”
“After eight years at ENGIE, I was ready for a new challenge. I first worked as a freelance consultant for a year, but ultimately decided that I wanted to get back into regular employment. A while later, I found myself at Air Liquide via a recruiting company and started here in January 2019.”
SIO Performance Center
Olga works in the Energy Department at the SIO Performance Center in Brussels. “SIO stands for Smart & Innovative Operations,” Olga explains. “The main aim of this department is to manage and leverage our production assets optimally and to improve customer experience. With my colleagues, we focus on our energy strategy.”
“One of my tasks is to closely monitor energy regulation, so that we can evaluate and follow-up its impact on our activities. I am also pleased to be involved in renewable energy projects, which is one of the drivers of our Group climate objectives.”
“All in all, my work duties vary so much that no day looks alike. Working with my colleagues, three women and three men, is really good. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed, and there’s a great team spirit!”
Work - home balance
“If you want to be successful in an innovative company like Air Liquide, you have to deal with all kinds of new challenges and absorb a lot of technical knowledge. That’s exactly why it feels so good here: I am pushed to improve myself all the time, but I’m well supported. There’s always something new going on, so it’s always exciting.”
“It’s not always easy to balance work with private life, especially as a mother of two. But at Air Liquide it works wonderfully well, and that has a lot to do with the flexibility that you can count on here. For example, if you unexpectedly need to take half a day off because your child is sick, it is usually no problem. This creates a pleasant and constructive situation that benefits both your work and your private life.”
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