b'Member News July 2021 13Meet our early career membersAchieving great thingswith Sasaenia Paul Oluwabunmi CEng MIETFrom becoming a graduate electrical engineer at Nestl to managing a portfolio of infrastructure investments as Country Manager for West & Central Africa at the OPEC Fund, at just 30 years old, Pauls engineering career has taken him around the world.Perhaps the most challenging part ofengineering profession: As a student I my current role is the constant switchloved the physical sciences (mathematics, between cultures and the need forphysics and chemistry), and was adaptability, says Paul. I can rememberpassionate about energy access, says Paul. travelling to China to appraise a projectPaul went on to achieve academic on Wednesday, flying back to Austriaexcellence, first with a First Class Honours on Friday to present my findings at theBSc in Electronic & Electrical EngineeringSasaenia Paul Oluwabunmi CEng MIEToffice, and leaving on Saturday to Ghanaat Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria196 countries at the One Young World to review another project. It was tough! before achieving an MSc Energy SystemsConference in Thailand, says Paul. My role entails a lot of business tripsEngineering at Cranfield University, UK:I spoke on the role of youths regarding (especially pre-Covid) to project locationsIm currently working towards an MBAtransparency and integrity in the energy for meetings and technical appraisalwith the Kellogg School of Management,sector. I was invited to speak alongside sessions with all stakeholders. ImUSA and WHU-Otto Beisheim SchoolPresident Ameenah Gurib-Fakim of responsible for leading appraisal teamsof Management, Germany. Mauritius, President Jorge Tuto Quiroga, for several infrastructure projects acrossSince kicking off his engineering careerFormer President of Bolivia, Ivonne nine countries. From sector analysis,at Nestl Nigeria as an ElectricalA-Baki, Politician, Artist and UNESCO economic and financial modelling toEngineer under the companys graduateGoodwill Ambassador, and Akala, Social procurement supervision, my role spansprogramme, Paul was awarded withEntrepreneur and Hip-Hop Artist.across business development, technicalanother opportunity for his professionalWith an unlimited potential for analysis, and operations management. growth: After working for severalprofessional growth, Paul also The most memorable project hesmonths at Nestl, I was awarded thebroadened his network and continued worked on stretched him personallyExxon Mobil international postgraduateto inspire the next generation of and professionally: One of the mostscholarship to study for my MSc atengineers by becoming an IET Young important projects I worked on was inCranfield University, UK, says Paul.Professional (YP) Ambassador: As Mozambique, says Paul. The projectFollowing my MSc, I was employedthe only YP Ambassador in Austria, I consisted of the design, financing,by GSK UK under its future leaderparticipate in several webinars targeted construction and operation of a 400 MWprogram as an automation engineeringat stimulating the interest of engineering gas-fired Independent Power Plant (IPP)associate before taking on roles withundergrads in becoming chartered.and the construction of a 563km, 400the OPEC Fund in Vienna, Austria. I find these opportunities very refreshing; KV electricity transmission system.Moving from core engineering rolesbeing an IET member gives me a chance I was the technical reviewer for OPECto a managerial one, Paul was metto give back to the community. Fund on the project, in charge of techno- with varied opportunities to achieveWhats next for Paul? My current role economic analysis, project risk assessment,great things in his early career:requires technical, finance and project as well as ensuring conformity with allWhen working as a volunteer in energymanagement skills, says Paul. I enjoy requisite standards at the design stage. engineering and policy, I was selected tomy position and Id like to leverage on Inspired by his eldest brother, whoaddress over 1,300 young people fromthese wide-ranging skills even further.studied material sciences engineering, Paul was always intrigued by theCheck out Pauls full story over on our Early Career Hubproblem-solving tenets of theat theiet.org/earlycareerIf youre an early career member and would like to be featured ina future issue of Member News, please email membernews@theiet.org'