Finding Fulfilment in Supporting the Energy Future

Jessica, currently the integrated planning and access manager at Shell’s QGC business, started her career in a major global financial consulting and audit firm after graduating in business management and accountancy.

As a consultant on assignment with the Queensland Gas Company (QGC), later acquired by Shell, Jessica decided to step outside of her comfort zone, from management to operational roles. “At the time I thought I would eventually go back to consulting, but I was too fascinated by the energy sector to leave,” she says.

Jessica’s first role in operations was the most challenging transition point for her but she became well embedded after a few years. When Shell acquired the BG Group, Jessica was offered the opportunity to choose between two roles. The first was based in the Netherlands, which aligned with her educational and consulting background, and the other was an operational role in a shipyard in South Korea to work on Shell’s Prelude floating LNG facility. The opportunity to be part of a team engineering the largest floating asset ever built was too much for Jessica to pass. “Before Shell, I never imagined a growth opportunity the size of the Prelude to come my way,” she says.

At Shell, Jessica realised her passion for working in energy production and playing a part in providing today’s energy needs as well as playing a role in developing our future energy requirements. As acting integrated planning and access manager, Jessica ensures the relevant permits and landholder consents are in place to enable work to commence. She also leads project services teams, supporting Shell with planning, scheduling, cost and estimating. Her team is also involved in variety of other activities including meeting Shell’s reforestation commitments that benefit local communities and finding newer ways to produce more and cleaner energy and help Shell meet its net-zero emission commitment. “Shell is transforming its business and finding new opportunities – providing more low-carbon energy but there are still communities in the world that do not have easy, continuous access to basic energy. The transition will need to be balanced and I see Shell getting that balance right,” she says. “Shell’s business is shifting to a new energy future; I will evolve right with it.”

Looking back at her career spanning over 15 years, Jessica says, that the confidence and knowledge she gained working with experienced Shell colleagues from across the world has been a major contributor to her progress. “The spirit of partnership that experienced colleagues at Shell extended to me and the knowledge that they have generously shared has allowed me to flourish. It’s made me believe that I could have a different opinion and I was free to voice it like everyone else,” she shares.

Another factor that augmented Jessica’s growth, she says, was the inclusive and values-led culture at Shell. “Before joining Shell, I would be the only female in the room where I felt the need to act like the boys to fit in and normalise a certain behaviour,” she recalls.

Through her early experiences out on the field, Jessica has developed a strong desire to work towards improving the participation of women in the workforce and making spaces more inclusive for them. As a member of Shell’s Respect Committee, Jessica actively supported the first Respect Week across Shell’s operational sites. She co-organised a variety of events and activities to raise awareness about respect in the workplace, to celebrate Shell’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “I feel proud and privileged to be a part of the Shell culture. As I progress in my leadership journey, I am driven to continue making women feel confident, so they don’t face what I did at work before I joined Shell,” she says.

Back in Australia and settling into a new role, Jessica is also embracing other aspects of the Shell culture that focus on wellbeing, prioritising work-life balance and encourage employees to pursue passions outside of their daily work.