Let's Meet: Bhavya Patel

Bhavya, tell us a little about yourself

I moved to United Kingdom in 2005 with a purpose of receiving a world-leading education and to develop a professional career.

I spent my early years living in Leicester while I was studying for my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at Loughborough University.

Before moving to London in 2014 I had opportunities to live and work in Dusseldorf in Energy Trading and commute weekly to Denmark for an off-shore wind project that I was involved in.

What led you to getting into engineering and the energy industry?

Both my parents are qualified engineers and have always inspired me to pursue engineering from a very young age. I used to visit my dad’s manufacturing unit as a kid and be intrigued by the various processes on the shop floor.

I made an active choice to enter the energy industry as I was studying my undergraduate degree where my individual and group projects were looking at harnessing renewable energy for micro generation application in an off-grid setting.

I started my career on a graduate programme working for one of the "Big Six" energy companies, where I developed the rounded competence required to develop a career in energy industry.

Is that something that's always been a passion of yours?

The energy industry has always fascinated me. While I was beginning to select an industry to join after education, the  energy industry 'trilemma' was becoming very apparent. The challenge that the energy industry faced (and is still facing) of transitioning from fossil generation to a renewable source whilst striking a balance between Security of supply, Sustainability and Equity continues to fuel my passion to contribute where I can.

Tell us something interesting that you've been working on.

In 2020 I got an opportunity in Vattenfall Heat UK to lead and deliver operational readiness, and this is one of the most interesting and challenging assignments of my career. The operational readiness programme captures every aspect of the business setup: from developing the Health and Safety structure, to how the experience of the end customers on the heat networks would be delivered. The operational readiness programme has opened a new horizon in my career where I have an opportunity to deliver business setup.

The most interesting project within this programme for me has been setting up the customer services function which is unparalleled to my engineering background.

What kind of things do you like to do in your downtime?

I spend most of my down time with my 3 year old daughter. She allows me to reflect on, and experience simple joys of life. When I am not with my daughter, I unwind myself by going on walks, doing gardening (when weather permits) or small DIY projects around the house.

What's something that not a lot of people know about you?

I measure success in not only advancing my career but also helping others to do so. In 2020 while a lot of schools across the globe went into virtual classrooms, I found an opportunity to contribute back to the school where I studied as a kid. I have, over a few weekends, helped students to identify their areas of interest and have early clarity of the career path they want to pursue.