Céline Rottier speaks 8 languages and has 2 master’s degrees. She wants to spur development by contributing to a sustainable energy future.
Céline Rottier
Name: Céline Rottier
Birth place: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Age: 32
Education: Delft University of Technology (Master of Science in Offshore Engineering), Columbia University (Master in International Energy Management and Policy)
Occupation: Energy Finance
I want to have a positive impact on the socio-economic development of countries by contributing to a sustainable energy future. Finance is the place where the technical, commercial and political aspects of an energy project intersect. Since I think I can have the biggest impact by working in this area, this is where I want to be.
Languages: Dutch, French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Russian
Currently reading: “Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy,” by Francis Fukuyama
What is your most memorable international experience?
In 2009, about 900 young people from around the world gathered at a Youth Forum in Paris to exchange views on the energy future. For me it was the culmination of a year’s hard work with an international team of young organizers, setting up a program with workshops and speaker sessions involving the most renowned energy gurus and business leaders.
Over three days we created an international hub where creativity, entrepreneurship and business intelligence thrived and young people challenged senior industry leaders on stage in face-to-face debates. Living such a memorable moment has had a profound impact on me. It broadened my perspectives and helped me to develop my international curiosity.
How did you become interested in international affairs?
I was born in a bi-cultural family — my mother is French, my father Dutch — so I’ve been interested in other cultures from a very early age, which drove me to learn eight foreign languages. It also motivated me to join an industry that is a melting pot of world cultures and at the very center of international political debates and power struggles.
The energy industry’s challenges are not only critical for a country, but are of global interest. Economic growth and a reasonable standard of living are in large part dependent on access to ample supplies of affordable, sustainable and reliable energy. My interest in international affairs still continues to grow every single day.
What international issue is of greatest interest to you today? Why?
With increased globalization, the nature of today’s problems has changed. We often see that issues cannot be solved by national measures. Also, energy is more interconnected than ever. Resources are increasingly linked: the energy industry has an impact on water, food and security.
It’s critical for this industry to develop effective responses to manage both the complexity and the increased transnational nature of such problems. This requires not only quality information and global indicators, but also a team effort.
Today the energy industry is still to a large extent nationally based. This lack of cooperation and coordination creates a gap, which limits the industry’s abilities to unleash its potential.
Instead we need collaborative partnerships, alliances and joint ventures between companies, governments and academia. We need this not only at a national level, but also at an international level to manage the transnational challenges that we are facing and which affect us all.
Pooling our knowledge and expertise can lead to breakthroughs in targeted areas in far less time and at lower cost than if everyone goes about it by themselves.