Cecilia Routledge, Global Director of Energy and Facilities, CTEK

In the rapidly growing landscape of electrification, changemakers like Cecilia Routledge lean into complexity, driving revolutionary advancements in the automotive industry. For Cecilia, being at the forefront of such a seismic shift in industry is not new. A passionate innovator, Cecilia has been an advocate in ground-breaking disruptions across several fields ranging from telecommunications to business travel. In her interview with WiRE, Cecilia sheds light on her path to the electrification space and the milestones achieved along the way.

Prior to joining CTEK where she currently sits as Global Director of Energy and Facilities, Cecilia’s career was characterized by her leadership at the forefront of impressive industry shifts. First working in the telecommunications realm, Cecilia was involved in the journey of deregulating telephony in Europe at the ground-breaking time when other telecommunications companies were allowed to enter the European market. Her passion for industry disruption eventually led her to the Expedia Group, specifically working with Egencia where she was at the vanguard of disrupting the booking of business travel. In her 15-year tenure at Egencia, she took on various global roles and a Managing Director title, assisting in a large-scale acquisition in the Nordics. Now joining the electrification space with CTEK, the red thread connecting Cecilia’s impressive history is the theme of industries undergoing revolutionary, transformative changes.

At CTEK, Cecilia is responsible for one of the company’s three divisions, specifically focusing on EV Charging. Cecilia’s team is at the forefront of EV charging at destinations, whether that be multi-residential buildings, shopping centers, or car parks. She and her team are involved in research projects around vehicle-to-grid connectivity, looking at both the electrification ecosystem and potential business models to accommodate the drastic change that electrification brings to the automotive industry.

Speaking on the opportunities for gender diversity in this space, Cecilia sees many chances for women to be involved. While the automotive industry may have traditionally erred on the side of male-dominated, the introduction of electrification brings with it opportunities outside of the hardware realm. With the advancement of technologies both within the vehicles themselves but also within the IoT space, where women may not have traditionally been involved in now bring the opportunity to drive a shift. Within her teams, Cecilia underscores the importance of cultivating diversity in the hiring process, ensuring that both male and female candidates are represented within the candidate pool while prioritizing meritocracy. As an advocate for young women to pursue opportunities in traditionally male-heavy fields, she showcases that a technical or engineering background is not necessary to contribute to highly technical industries such as electrification.

Shifting gears to discuss emerging trends within electrification, Cecilia highlights CTEK’s work on projects involving vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-everything connectivity. Here, she sheds light on the excitingly complex industry shift, from private consumer vehicles to commercial fleets being electrified. Current challenges in the field involve a lack of infrastructure, electrical grid support, and charger anxiety. Aside from these setbacks, the electrification of the automotive industry also requires a consumer mindset shift. The average person is programmed to think of petrol and gas stations when we think of cars, and switching to electric vehicles requires this mindset to be disrupted. Overall, Cecilia highlights the need to consider the entire ecosystem. Whether it be installing solar panels at charging points or the creation of solar-powered chargers, the shift to electrification is well underway.

Finally, Cecilia reflects on her career journey and her proudest moments along the way. She takes pride in the successful launches of new products, emphasizes teamwork and supportive management, and encourages taking strategic leaps out of one’s comfort zone to embrace opportunities that may have seemed intimidating. When asked to provide advice for young women and men beginning their careers, Cecilia encourages them to think of the “why”. Understanding one’s personal goals and motivators will help them narrow down potential opportunities and focus on those that match said goals.

Cecilia’s journey encapsulates her ability to champion change and seize opportunities in transformative industries. Her valuable insights into strategic leadership and gender diversity within the realm of electrification are reflective of the dynamic innovation and collaborative opportunities that help shape the path towards a sustainable future.

Written By: