The changing face of energy leadership: What International Energy Week signals for talent in 2026
John Tilbrook
The first global energy event since COP30 in Brazil last year is taking place in London this week. International Energy Week will welcome leaders and experts from around the world, aiming to tackle some of the sector’s most urgent challenges.
Taking place at the QEII Centre, London, on 10-12 February, the event will focus on key themes of energy transition, security, and innovation, at a pivotal moment for the industry. In this blog, we outline how demand for future‑ready leaders has never been greater and frame the impact that future talent strategies may have on an industry at a crossroads.
A sector at an inflection point
As a global industry, energy is on a fast growth trajectory and there’s an immediate need to ramp up or improve recruitment across the sector. This is particularly acute in plant management and leadership, as a new energy landscape emerges.
As well as new technologies, regulatory pressures are growing, and geopolitical uncertainty is becoming the norm. Decisive drivers of growth, such as Ofgem’s approval of £28 billion of investment in the UK’s energy capacity, arrives at a time when tighter net‑zero legislation, and more stringent monitoring and reporting rules are reshaping operational demands.
The global shift to new energy infrastructure is accelerating, particularly in advanced grid systems and energy-from-waste facilities. What we’re seeing is that the leadership skills required to run these plants are not emerging at the same pace.
It’s likely that the energy industry of the future will be made up of a proliferation of smaller operations, rather than a smaller number of large, centralised businesses. The new tranche of leaders, therefore, must be adept at operating, systemising and inspiring with hands-on experience as part of their skillset.
The new energy landscape
Rapid decarbonisation timelines and regulatory shifts have created significant operational and strategic challenges, and technologies such as AI, automation and data-driven operations continue to be integrated at pace.
No longer seen as ‘nice-to-haves’, the integration of these new ways of working is increasingly recognised as business-critical across the board.
In addition to digital advances, the pace of change is heavily influenced by forces such as the geopolitical landscape and supply-chain volatility. Such forces are resulting in elevated risk-management demands placed on those in leadership roles.
How leadership skills are evolving
With the backdrop of this rapidly changing landscape, those seeking to attract leaders with future-ready skills are asking “What does good look like now?”.
The emerging skillsets increasingly in demand are nuanced and varied. The ability to navigate hybrid portfolios (renewables, hydrogen, CCUS and traditional assets) and develop long-term transition strategies will be key to building confidence and mitigating risk. And, of course, it almost goes without saying that technological fluency is an essential skill amongst energy leaders, and those who can interpret data, understand digitalisation, and drive tech-enabled transformation are highly valued. Competency in cybersecurity, digital twins, and AI influencing operational decision-making will become increasingly attractive to employers.
In addition to digital and technical skills, the diverse strengths of great leaders must include mastery of stakeholder and ESG engagement. Communicating credible sustainability plans and managing heightened investor and public scrutiny are vital to success in the modern industrial landscape.
We’re also seeing a high value placed on leaders from adjacent industries. Traditional boundaries are dissolving and with energy companies adopting more customer-centric, service-led behaviours, organisations are pulling talent from tech, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. This is becoming an increasingly viable route to sourcing leaders in energy as the impact of growing skills gaps in the sector continues to be felt.
There’s undoubtedly a growing need for empathy and transparency in corporate communications as well as in cultural & change leadership. The ability to mobilise large, often global workforces through major transformation will become more important than ever and will require a firm commitment to inclusion and re-skilling.
Why these skills are hard to find
While organisations are clear on the capabilities required for the next era of energy, securing leaders who genuinely possess them remains one of the sector’s toughest obstacles.
The development of talent pools should reflect the broad breadth of skills and experience needed, however there are various issues facing the energy sector, such as cross-sector competition for talent, and experience or skills gaps. The supply of leaders with both legacy and transition expertise is limited, and the rise of portfolio careers means top candidates are often more selective.
Certain parts of the industry are seeing demand fast outpacing talent pipeline growth (hydrogen, offshore wind, and energy digitalisation in particular). This could result in far-reaching skills shortages and capabilities across these sectors.
The growing importance of executive search in the energy transition
Executive search firms are already at the centre of the rapidly evolving energy sector, and those with broad executive search expertise are usually highly valued business partners.
Search partners with additional credentials, such as deep industry knowledge and credible research capabilities, will be vital for identifying cross-sector talent with adaptive leadership traits and transition readiness.
As the skills and needs gap widens, the importance of utilising trusted global networks to access scarce capabilities will only grow.
Looking ahead: Future talent needs
The next decade will see a ‘bedding in’ of current emerging trends, namely in AI-enabled operations, advanced grid management, global energy security roles, and new commercial models. The next generation of energy leaders will define the trajectory of this pivotal phase in the sector, and therefore the future of the industry.
Organisations that succeed will be those that lead with and invest in long-term leadership pipelines and succession planning. Early adopters of these strategies will be able to embed resilience across every tier of their business and future-proof the sector against forthcoming challenges.
At Newman Stewart, we are committed to helping organisations identify, assess, and secure global talent who will not only lead but also inspire, embrace, and shape the future of the industry.
