Beena Sharma on Redefining Success: Leadership, Legacy and Diversity in Energy

For many leaders, success is measured in titles, milestones and commercial achievements, but for Beena Sharma, Owner of CCU International, co-founder of Women in New Energy and strategic advisor across multiple organisations, success today is defined very differently. It is no longer simply about personal achievement, but about impact, influence and creating opportunities for others.

Coming from a traditional Bangladeshi background, there were expectations around what life should look like: settling down young, starting a family and following a more conventional path. Instead, she chose to challenge those expectations head on and carve her own path.

“I wanted to demonstrate, both to myself and to those around me, that women could lead ambitious international careers, break boundaries and redefine what success could look like for future generations in our family and community.”

That willingness to challenge the norm has become a defining feature of her growth and career. Working across energy, sustainability and business leadership, Beena has repeatedly entered spaces where there were very few women and even fewer women from ethnic minority backgrounds.

“Earlier in my career, success was very much linked to proving myself in industries where there were very few women. Today, it’s much more about impact, influence and legacy.”

That evolution in perspective now underpins much of her work. At CCU International, her focus is on accelerating technologies capable of genuinely supporting industrial decarbonisation and helping address some of the world’s most significant climate challenges.

“For me, success is seeing innovation move from concept into real-world deployment and knowing the work we are doing has tangible environmental and societal value.”

Alongside this, she recently joined fast-scaling AI supply chain logistics business Streamba as a Strategic Advisor, supporting global growth through strategic partnerships built on years of international relationship development.

But it is perhaps Women in New Energy that has become one of the most personally rewarding aspects of her career.

Founded only three years ago in partnership with Energy Voice, the network has already gained remarkable traction across the industry. The inspiration came from repeatedly seeing the same gap appear throughout her career: women significantly underrepresented across leadership and technical roles within the energy sector.

“I was often the only woman on stage, and very often the only person of colour as well.”

What stood out most to Beena were the conversations after conferences and panel discussions. Young women would regularly approach her asking how they could enter the energy transition sector, what courses they should study and how they could build careers in the industry.

“It made me realise how important visibility and access really are. Many talented people simply didn’t know where to start or didn’t see people who looked like them in the industry.”

Women in New Energy was created to change that - providing community, mentorship, visibility and support across renewables, carbon capture, finance, policy, engineering and entrepreneurship.

Its rapid growth, she believes, reflects something much bigger than a networking initiative.

“People were looking for community, mentorship, representation and meaningful connection. Diverse leadership and inclusive industries ultimately lead to better innovation, stronger decision-making and a more sustainable future.”

That belief in the power of networks and communities remains central to her leadership philosophy.

“Industries don’t change through policies alone. They change through people, relationships and collective momentum.”

Beena is particularly passionate about ensuring women have access to the kinds of networks and opportunities that have historically remained informal or inaccessible.

Throughout her own career, she experienced many of the challenges common within traditionally male-dominated sectors: needing to work harder to establish credibility, navigating unconscious bias and often being the youngest person in the room.

But rather than allowing those experiences to become barriers, they became catalysts for growth.

“At 22 years old, I accepted my first international posting to Nigeria - not exactly the typical first assignment for a young woman starting out in the industry. Experiences like that build resilience, perspective and credibility.”

Over time, she realised that technical capability and preparation mattered enormously, but so did confidence and visibility.

“Confidence is not about being the loudest person in the room. It’s about trusting your capability, even before others do.”

That perspective now shapes her approach to leadership and inclusion. As a CEO and board member, she believes equality, diversity and inclusion cannot be treated as standalone initiatives or compliance exercises.

“They have to be embedded into culture, leadership and decision-making from the beginning.”

Beena views diversity not simply as a moral imperative, but as a strategic advantage.

“The energy transition needs innovation and diverse ways of thinking if we are ever to make it to net zero. The same old, same old is not going to cut it. We need people from all walks of life, backgrounds and cultures that bring experiences and ways of thinking that we have never had before. The winners are going to be the ones who bring these people onboard and keep them onboard.”

Her belief is simple: the organisations that succeed in the future will be the ones capable of attracting, supporting and retaining people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives with visibility playing a critical role.

“When women see other women leading businesses, speaking on panels or shaping industries, it expands what feels possible. Visibility is not just symbolic, it has practical impact too. Visible women leaders help influence hiring, culture, policy and investment decisions. They bring different lived experiences and perspectives into spaces where important decisions are made.”

Today, her focus is firmly future-facing: building businesses and communities that outlast individual careers, supporting founders and future leaders, and helping create industries that are more inclusive, innovative and resilient.

“At this stage, success becomes less about you and more about what you can do for others.”