# Ogutu Okudo

Ogutu Okudo (born c. 1992), is a Kenyan oil and energy executive who served as a Board Director at the National Oil Corporation of Kenya. She is the founder and CEO of Guuru Energy, a data-driven multi-energy company focused on accelerating the development and deployment of Africa's energy resources. A prominent figure in the African energy sector, renowned for her expertise in negotiating complex transactions and resolving conflicts in oil, gas, and renewable energy. She has held leadership roles in global projects and played a significant role in various initiatives in Kenya, including drafting and implementing energy legislation, facilitating Kenya's first oil export, and representing stakeholders in major projects such as the international maritime boundary case at the ICJ. She is actively involved in deploying decentralized energy technologies in East Africa, including pay-as-you-go LPG cooking solutions and solar systems. CNN has recognized her as a disruptor in the energy sector. Ogutu Okudo is a multi-award-winning gender activist, author, speaker, and energy champion, acknowledged by Forbes 30 Under 30 for her contributions to mentoring women and girls in STEM.Okudo has served on the boards of the National Oil Corporation of Kenya and BBOXX Kenya and currently is an Advisory Board Member of the African Energy Chamber and the Business Committee of the University of Aberdeen.
She is also the Kenya country manager for SpringRock Group, an African upstream oil development company headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. She concurrently serves as an energy consultant to the Kenya's Ministry of Petroleum and Mining. In addition, she is the Founder and CEO of the social enterprise, Women in Energy and Extractives Africa (WEX Africa).

## Early life and education

Okudo was born in Kenya circa 1992. After beginning her primary education in St. Nicholas School, Nairobi. Then proceeded to Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya. For the 8 years spent at the American curricula school, Lucky was an avid basketball and football player. She later on joined Rusinga Academy in Nairobi, Kenya, where her path in leadership began serving as a nominated Special Representative to the School Council. Okudo is listed as a notable graduate of Rusinga School Academy alongside, Oscar winner, Lupita Nyongo and international journalist, Wahiga Mwaura. In her commencement speech to the Class of 2020 for Rusinga Academy, Ogutu reminisced on her time there including serving as the Captain of the Kenya Debate Team. In 2008, Miss Okudo was ranked 7th Best Debater in Africa at the Africa Schools Debating Championships held in St. Johns School, Johannesburg, South Africa. A lover of history and diplomacy from a young age, Ogutu actively participated in Middle School Model United Nations (MSMUN) and East Africa Model United Nations (EAMUN) hosted at the United Nations Gigiri Office in Nairobi, where she served as a securitary and a security council member. Following her completion of secondary school, Ogutu was admitted to the United States International University Africa, in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations with distinction. It was during her studies the announcement of the discovery of Kenya's first oil reserves that propelled Ogutu to shift her focus on Foreign Policy and Diplomacy and enter the world of petroleum. She then went on to study at the University of Aberdeen, in Scotland, where she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Oil and Gas Enterprise Management.

## Career

Referred to by CNN as the woman on a mission to disrupt the oil and gas sector in Africa.In 2012, a year prior to Kenya discovering their first commercial viable oil deposits, Ogutu started Women in Oil and Gas East Africa (WIOGEA), which would later come to be known as Women in Energy and Extractives Africa (WEX Africa). The Nairobi-based non-government organisation, with members in eight African countries and membership in excess of 3,500, of whom, 1,200 are in Kenya, as of 2020. WEX Africa aims at bridging the gender gaps in the energy and extractive sector. Members encourage girls to take Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics STEM courses in school and to seek careers in the lucrative male dominated sectors. WEX Africa have empowered over 100,000 girls with their STEM Highschool Outreach. In 2017 at the age of 25 years, she became country manager for SpringRock Energy, an international oilfield and servicing company.

## Other considerations

She was a founding board member of the Association of Women in Extractives Kenya (AWEIK). Crans Montana Forum recognised her with the award of New Leader of Tomorrow, for her role in advocating for women in the energy sector.The Africa Youth Awards recognized her as of the 100 Young Most Influential Africans. In 2020, Forbes Africa named her among the top 30 Africans under 30 years of age. Further on in 2020 Ogutu was appointed to the African Energy Chamber highest-level advisory committee to serve on local content matters and support capacity building across the continent. In 2020, Ogutu was further recognized as Person of the Year by the Future Awards Africa for her work in the energy sector.