Initiative unveils list of 577 qualified professionals ready to lead the country’s energy sector.
The landscape for female leadership in Brazil’s energy sector enters a new chapter this Thursday (24) with the release of the third edition of the Sim, Elas Existem! (Yes, They Exist!) project list. The initiative, which completes a full cycle since its inception in 2018, presents an impressive roster of 577 women with the qualifications required to assume key positions in regulatory bodies, boards, state-owned company directorates, and high-level federal government roles.
Created by social entrepreneurs Renata Isfer and Agnes da Costa, the non-partisan platform emerged as a direct response to the perceived shortage of female talent in leadership roles. The project was born from volunteer work and the collaboration of professionals and institutions within the sector, who nominated women prepared to take on these challenges.
In its first version in 2018, the list featured 193 names. Now, the 2026 edition triples that number, reinforcing the argument that the absence of women in certain positions is not due to a lack of qualified professionals.
A talent pool for the future of energy
The 2026 list will be presented to presidential candidates, providing future leaders with a qualified database of women ready to contribute to high-stakes roles in the energy field. The requirements for inclusion are rigorous, ranging from legal eligibility for regulatory agency boards to positions requiring direct appointment by the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
Renata Isfer, co-founder of the initiative, states:
“Whenever someone claims they couldn’t find a qualified professional for a leadership role in the sector, our list provides 577 answers. These are women with the necessary preparation, nominated by the very community that forms the energy sector.”
The official launch of the list will take place at a special event at the Lagune Hotel rooftop, sponsored by TotalEnergies and supported by entities such as AEPE, eixos, and IBP.
Empowerment and equity in focus
The launch event will also serve as a stage to celebrate key milestones in promoting gender equity. The Sim, Elas Existem! project, in partnership with EnergyC, will kick off the third edition of EmpodereC, a mentorship program aimed at the professional development and advancement of young women in the energy sector.
With a focus on diversity, this edition of the program prioritizes candidates from historically underrepresented groups, including Black and mixed-race women, people with disabilities, neurodivergent women, the LGBTQIA+ community, residents of the North, Northeast, and Central-West regions, and public school graduates.
The 20 available spots will ensure that each mentee receives individualized support from January to October 2027. Applications for EmpodereC are open until October 18.
The evening will also mark the formal adhesion of seven new organizations to the National Pact for Gender Equity in Energy, reinforcing the collective commitment to inclusion and diversity in the sector.
Recognition and inspiration
The Sim, Elas Existem! 2026 awards ceremony will honor four notable figures for their contributions:
- HeForShe:Felipe Maciel, founding partner and executive director of the agency eixos.
- Voices of Diversity:Márcia Cristina Andrade, general manager of the Capuava Refinery (Petrobras), recognized as the first Black woman to lead a refinery in Brazil.
- Oil and Gas Sector:Suhana Sidik, President of Petronas in Brazil.
- Electric Sector:Aline Pan, professor at UFRGS and co-founder of the Brazilian Network of Women in Solar Energy (Rede MESol).
Through this robust list and its efforts to foster female career development, the Sim, Elas Existem! initiative reaffirms the strength and qualifications of women to shape the future of energy in Brazil.