By Blossom Ukoha Oil and gas is one of the world’s most demanding industries, where success is measured by precision, resilience, and the ability to lead under pressure. It is also a sector where women have historically been underrepresented, making every breakthrough both significant and inspiring. Yet, against these odds, Fatoumata Sanogo has built an extraordinary career that spans continents, multinational energy companies, and some of the world’s most complex petroleum projects. Today, as the Managing Director of PETROCI Holding, Côte d’Ivoire’s national oil company, she is doing far more than making history as the first woman to hold the position. She is transforming the company’s fortunes and strengthening her nation’s energy sector through bold leadership and operational excellence. Building a Foundation for Global Leadership Fatoumata Sanogo’s journey began at the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët Boigny (INP HB) in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, where she studied petroleum engineering. She later…

A room filled with presidents, prime ministers, diplomats and global financiers fell unusually quiet. The conversation had centred on climate targets, economic forecasts and development funding. Then, a woman from a small Caribbean island rose to speak. She did not begin with statistics or political rhetoric. Instead, she spoke about people whose homes disappear after every hurricane, children whose futures are threatened by rising sea levels and nations paying the highest price for a crisis they did little to create. By the time she finished, the applause was not simply for a powerful speech. It was an acknowledgement that one of the world’s most respected stateswomen had spoken a truth many could no longer ignore. That woman is Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. Her journey to global prominence was never guaranteed. It was built through years of resilience, principled leadership and an unwavering belief that even the…

Imagine a world where the sound of books flipping in a classroom is replaced by the echoes of war. Where dreams of becoming a doctor, teacher, or scientist are shattered by the brutal realities of displacement. This was Muzoon Almellehan’s reality—but rather than giving in to despair, she decided to fight for change. Muzoon, a Syrian refugee and global education activist, is proof that courage and determination can break even the most formidable barriers. At just 16, she became a beacon of hope for millions of displaced children, showing them that education is the bridge to a brighter future—even amidst the darkness of conflict. The Girl with a Backpack Full of Books When Muzoon fled Syria with her family in 2013, she carried with her something more valuable than belongings—her schoolbooks. For Muzoon, education was not just a priority; it was her lifeline. “I knew that leaving everything behind didn’t…

Kenyan ecopreneur Lorna Rutto is the inspired leader of EcoPost, a social organization established in response to the urgent need for alternatives to traditional trash management methods, given Kenya’s massive plastic waste problem. She launched her business in 2009, which gathers plastic garbage and produces fence posts that are economically feasible, incredibly robust, and crucially ecologically beneficial. These posts are extensively utilized in Kenya. Lorna was chosen as the sub-Saharan Africa laureate for the renowned Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards in 2011.

As a Director working out of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya, Caroline Eboumbou joined the organization in 2018. Through the Foundation’s Power projects in Africa, Mrs. Eboumbou’s position focuses on generating significant effect and mobilizing funding for expanding access to energy internationally. Ms. Eboumbou is in charge of a creative portfolio of grants and investments aimed at maximizing the potential while advancing more efficient integrated electrification planning and investment across key markets, as over 600 million Africans are not currently covered by traditional grid infrastructure.

Carol Tome is a corporate professional from the United States who serves as United Parcel Service’s current CEO (UPS). She was formerly employed by The Home Depot, where she was Vice President and Treasurer from 1995 until 2019 before being promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Since 2003, she has been a UPS board member.