EEI
Maria Pope is the CEO of USA’s Portland General Electric. Alison Andrew is the CEO of New Zealand’s Transpower.
Coming from opposite sides of the world, one from New Zealand and one from the United States, this CEO dialogue was intriguing for what was alike and not alike. At this session of the Edison Electric Institute's 6th Annual Global Electrification Forum, Portland General Electric CEO Maria Pope, and Transpower CEO Alison Andrew engaged each other on what it is like to lead utilities through these times of change. Enjoy these excerpts.
CEO, Portland General Electric, Maria Pope: We have quite a tremendous amount of change, starting with the beginning of the pandemic to today. Talk about all you have seen in leading Transpower.
CEO, Transpower, Alison Andrew: It's been one of the most challenging times and it continues, to be a chief executive in our industry. Not only are we dealing with the pandemic, but you've got all those well-being issues with your people and trying to navigate how to have enough people to run your operations, how to look after your people when they're dispersed, working from home through lockdowns.
Also, the geopolitical issues. Look at the Ukraine, China, supply chain issues. All our materials coming, pretty much, from overseas on long supply chains through ports. We've had to increase our lead times, carry more stocks, and have a huge review of supply chains. That remains a big issue.