Rashmi Radhakrishnan - challenge yourself every day

Rashmi Radhakrishnan works with stakeholders across the industry to develop key electricity market roadmaps for the ESO, ultimately delivering the best outcome for consumers.

What is your role at the ESO? 

I work in the Electricity Markets Development team as an Electricity Markets Development Lead. Our team works with stakeholders across the energy industry to develop key electricity market roadmaps for the ESO. Ultimately it’s all about working with markets to deliver the best outcome for consumers. 

Tell us a bit about how you got to your current role - have you got any career highlights? 

I joined National Grid in 2015 after completing a post-graduate qualification in Software Engineering. I started my journey in the gas side of our business and moved to the ESO in 2016 where I was responsible for delivering commercial aspects of customer connections. 

Later I had an opportunity to do a secondment in National Grid Capital Delivery as a Project Management Office Lead to develop and implement key business initiatives.  In this role I spent a lot of time collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders, which I really enjoyed and it helped to improve my project and stakeholder management skills.  

When I returned to the ESO, I started working in the Electricity Markets Development team as an Electricity Markets Development Lead. Today I work closely with the Energy Network Association (ENA) as part of the Open networks Project. This is a major industry initiative from Ofgem to transform the way our energy network operates to facilitate the transition to a smart flexible energy system.  I also lead the Talent and Development initiative (T&D) within Women in National Grid (WiNG).  

As a woman coming from an ethnic minority background, I always wanted to get involved in activities where I could help women to showcase and enhance their talents. When I had the chance to be T&D lead I grabbed it. I strongly feel that WiNG is focused on improving and encouraging not only young talent but all women to develop within our business, both professionally and personally. This T&D lead role gave me the platform to create new opportunities for our colleagues to develop and  I am so proud to be part of WiNG, leading one of its workstreams. 

What do you love about engineering and specifically your role at the ESO? 

We get to challenge ourselves and learn every day. I am so impressed with how the ESO empowers our colleagues to deliver our objectives, despite many challenges. I take pride of the fact that I play an instrumental role in transforming the energy system to meet the government’s net zero carbon emission targets for 2050.  

How does your role help us towards reaching net zero? 

I lead key elements of 2-10+ years GB electricity markets reforms and change plans, by identifying potential changes and framework evolution required as our energy landscape changes. Climate change is the challenge of our generation. In my view, we must get our act together now to resolve this global issue so our children and future generations can enjoy this beautiful world.  

What advice would you give to any aspiring engineers? 

Be confident, believe in yourself to chase your dreams and never stop learning.