Leila Faramarzi has been the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Director at Vallourec since September 2020. With a PhD in carbon capture and a background in chemical engineering, she is responsible for building our technical expertise and investments in the energy transition market. Leila inspires us with her passion for connecting people, her enthusiasm for our industry and her commitment to decarbonization.
Hello Leila, what is your role at Vallourec?
CCUS applications are overseen by Vallourec’s ETO (Energy Transition Opportunities) initiative. Since I joined Vallourec, my goal has been to expand and diversify our portfolio, so that the Group can fully embrace the energy transition. I started by building a profile of all the different products Vallourec can supply to this market, and working closely with R&D and our technical teams to expand our competencies. My role has also eXvolved, as I am now actively seeking out opportunities for partnerships, investments and acquisitions. It’s my mission to raise awareness of available decarbonization methods, both for our clients and in terms of Vallourec’s own footprint.
What made you want to join Vallourec?
I was fascinated by Vallourec’s industrial heritage. I knew that this role in particular would be extremely rewarding. It’s a great opportunity to gain a broad vision of the projects that are being developed across the globe, along with their technical, financial and environmental challenges. Additionally, I felt that the role could enable me to expand on my own awareness of all the different technologies that exist.
In my previous positions at Equinor and before that at Statoil, I worked on how to decarbonize or reduce emissions footprints – not just of the oil and gas industry but also in a cross-industrial sense. Having already been involved on the energy provider side, I was interested in approaching the challenges of the energy transition from another perspective.
At Vallourec, I knew I could expand my knowledge base and help shape how heavy industry will approach net zero goals. My perspective on Vallourec is that our competence in CCUS is pretty deep, and we should be proud of our offers and our expertise in this field.
What do you love about your job?
Transferring the knowledge that I’ve accumulated at ETO and in my previous life has probably been the most interesting aspect of my work. I also love the variety, and the opportunity to work closely with the regions in finding ways to decarbonize our own assets all over the world.
Having lived all over the world myself—including Iran, Denmark, Scotland, the Netherlands, Norway and now France—I feel comfortable meeting and working with people from all different backgrounds. And in fact, the most fruitful solutions come from interactions with people from all over the organization.
People across Vallourec are so curious and interested in taking new ideas on board. This has made it a pleasure to engage with my colleagues and share my passion for carbon capture.
Beside versatility, what key skills help you meet the challenges in your role?
Perseverance, boldness, creativity, energy and openness are essential for succeeding in my job. It also helps to be open to all the different aspects of this role, be it meeting with clients, reading the latest scientific papers, or attending conferences.
Problem-solving skills are also essential, and I relish the opportunity to find new solutions to the challenges of emissions reduction.
What advice would you give to people in your field, particularly to other women?
Be yourself; you don’t need other people’s stamp of approval. When I was starting out, I found that a lot of people—especially men—wanted to give me advice about how to speak or behave, without me asking. However, things have changed over the years and I’ve gained confidence from being in an industry where occasionally I was the only woman in the room.
I also think it’s important to stay curious, and not forget to have fun. I’m currently trying some new sports – I started learning how to roller skate this year and I’ve also started boxing just to challenge myself a bit.
