Anna Jakobsen named a trailblazer in the 100 Women to Watch 2024

We are thrilled to share that GHD Advisory’s Anna Jakobsen, EMEA Sustainability, Resilience, ESG & Transactions Business Group Leader, has been recognised as one of the 100 Women to Watch in 2024 by Cranfield University. This recognition highlights her exceptional contributions to sustainability and her leadership in the ESG space.

The annual Women to Watch report, highlights top female professionals suited for FTSE 350 board positions now or in the near future. Introduced in 2009, the initiative challenges assumptions about the types of women suitable for board roles, showcasing senior women from diverse sectors beyond finance, legal and professional services. The report emphasises the importance of gender diversity, expanding the candidate pool to include women from various ethnic backgrounds and with other declared aspects of diversity. It also reflects on the post-pandemic landscape, which includes shifts in working practices, geopolitical uncertainties, and a focus on sustainability, climate change and technological innovation, with a growing emphasis on AI across sectors such as energy, life sciences and banking. Board roles covered range from CEO to Chief People Officer, with skillsets spanning talent, sustainability, ESG, risk and more.

Richard Fechner, Enterprise Business Advisory Leader says "Anna is a true trailblazer in the sustainability arena. As we celebrate her recognition as one of the 100 Women to Watch in 2024, we acknowledge her vital role in shaping a more sustainable future and championing diversity in leadership. Anna exemplifies the power of vision and dedication, and we are proud to have her leading and influencing at GHD."

Anna has been at the forefront of these discussions at GHD Advisory, leading clients towards a low-carbon economy. Her impact spans sectors, including energy, materials and life sciences, where the integration of AI and innovative practices is rapidly evolving.

“I feel incredibly privileged to be included among such accomplished women. Increasing diversity in executive and non-executive leadership, particularly at board and C-Suite level, is imperative and the report highlights the breadth and depth of the female leadership talent pool.” says Anna.

Anna’s recognition is part of a broader effort to enhance the representation of women and individuals from diverse backgrounds on boards. Her commitment to inclusivity is evident in her previous work, where she has championed equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and served on leadership Advisory Boards to drive improved EDI performance.

Learn more: Women to Watch

GHD Advisory provides technical and commercial consulting services that create sustainable economic outcomes for those who own, design, and operate infrastructure and manage the world’s resources. We work with our clients and industry leaders to redefine challenges, drive value and create competitive advantage in the areas of water, energy and urbanisation. Our diverse and talented team supports clients through the business lifecycle from capital deployment to business resilience and optimisation choices, for the purpose of value creation. Drawing on the global expertise of GHD’s 11,000+ engineering, architectural, environmental and consulting professionals to unlock opportunity and support key decisions.