
From Oil and Gas to Energy Transition Leadership with Donna Sutherland
From Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success by Brenda Hector
April 17, 2026 · 43 min · Season 3 · Episode 149
About this episode
Donna Sutherland discusses her career journey in the energy sector and the importance of leadership and communication in the energy transition.
In this episode of Scale Her Up , I’m joined by Donna Sutherland , founder and Head of Commercial at Veri Energy , Vice President of the Scottish Energy Forum , and a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde University . Donna shares her remarkable career journey through the energy sector, from starting on the trading floor at Scottish and Southern Energy to leading major commercial and project work in oil and gas, and now helping shape the future of the energy transition through Veri Energy. We talk about leadership, communication, energy policy, innovation, determination and the importance of protecting jobs, skills and communities as the energy system evolves. This is a powerful conversation about ambition, problem-solving, backing yourself and using your voice to influence change at the highest levels. In this episode, we cover: What Veri Energy does and why it was created How existing energy infrastructure and skills can support the energy transition Donna’s journey through utilities, oil and gas and into transition leadership Why communication is critical in complex, high-stakes sectors The challenge of influencing government and key stakeholders Donna’s passion for renewable…
People in this episode
Host: Brenda Hector
Guest: Donna Sutherland
Topics covered
- energy transition
- leadership
- communication
- innovation
- women in business
- renewable energy
Keywords
- energy transition
- leadership
- communication
- renewable energy
- women in energy
- innovation
- Scottish energy
- synthetic fuels
- job protection
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Veri Energy, Scottish Energy Forum, Strathclyde University, Scottish and Southern Energy
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