Carly Weller speaks to Liz Cammack, VP Sales and Advisor to the Global Board at Segen, about life at Segen, working the male-dominated renewables industry and winning the Women in Energy Award.
CW: Hi Liz, please tell us about yourself and how you got into the sector.
LC: I was one of the first girls at an all-boys grammar school, as it turned mixed. I’ve always worked in traditionally male-dominated industries including journalism, 15 years in pharmaceutical sales, and then renewables since 2010. I was co-founder of wholesale distributor Zenex Solar, headquartered in Brighouse, and am now Global Board Advisor and VP Sales for Segen.
CW: For those who may not know, can you give us an overview of the work that Segen does?
LC: Segen is the largest wholesale distributor of solar PV, energy storage and EV charging in the UK. We also recently introduced heat pumps into our portfolio. We supply installers and renewable energy professionals. We are well known for our online portal which gives live pricing and availability, and for our product technical knowledge and relationships with the biggest and most important manufacturer brands in the market. We also operate across Europe, South Africa and have a sister company, Soligent, in the US.
CW: Tell us about your current role – what are you responsible for and what does the normal working day consist of?
LC: I am responsible for driving the UK sales strategy, which I have made very bespoke according to the different segments of the market so that we provide the best possible customer experience. Our sales team are well known in the industry, and we have built customer relationships over the years. I am also involved at Global Board level, sharing market insights, which let’s face it, are quite unique to the solar industry and often require a very different and agile way of working.
CW: What are the best parts of your role?
LC: There are so many aspects of my role that I love! The team have got to be my first. We now employ in the region of 180 people in the UK. Many have been in Segen for most of its 20 years of trading, and some joined with me from Zenex. I’ve loved seeing them grow through the ranks and into some very senior positions. I also find time with customers and our manufacturer partners really rewarding. And when you combine all of that, I guess the absolute best part of my job is making a difference to our energy landscape and creating a legacy that will make my family proud of me long into the future.
CW: You are also a Non-Executive Director of Solar Energy UK and a member of the Solar TaskForce, Chairing the Supply Chain and Innovation Sub-Group – what does that involve?
LC: I’m now in my second term as NED for our industry association SEUK. Being from a wholesale distributor puts me in a pretty unique position to be able to represent the views and best interests of installers and the rooftop segment at one end, as well as the manufacturers at the other side of the supply chain. The Solar TaskForce was established in 2023 as a combined government and industry initiative, with the aim of devising a roadmap to our UK solar ambitions. It has been a monumental task to bring this to a conclusion, with the help of some highly experienced UK innovators, to whom I am very grateful. I’m looking forward to the launch which will be in the first part of 2025.
CW: Congratulations on winning the Women in Energy Award this year! You must be very proud?
LC: I was totally humbled by the experience and really privileged to be recognised not only for my contribution to the industry but also for my help in supporting diversity. I think my background as one of only a few girls in a school of 400 boys has meant that I’ve never thought it unusual to be in a male-dominated industry, nor ever felt like a minority. I was one of the pioneer girls back then, as I have been in the solar industry. At times the team around me have been over 60% female, for no other reason than they were the right people for the job.
CW: Do you have any career advice for people starting out in the industry?
LC: Gain as much experience as you can in all areas of the industry. The more time spent shadowing various roles, in multiple departments or with different ends of the supply chain, in every sector, will make you a more rounded professional. You’ll gain knowledge of the challenges and needs and intricacies of each area. It will help you and your organisation to be agile, which is essential in this fast-paced, exhilarating industry.
CW: What do you think should be made a priority for the electrical sector?
LC: We need to remove barriers in all corners of the industry. Network and planning anomalies must be removed and those authorities causing delays need to be held accountable. The skills gap needs to be taken seriously. And Government simply needs to fully recognise the industry for the enormous opportunity it presents, not only in terms of economic growth but also in terms of being instrumental in providing an affordable, secure and reliable energy horizon.
CW: Where do you see the industry in five years?
LC: It is inevitable that given the changing way we use energy, and with subsidies for solar a dim-and-distant memory, we will be in a much more stable environment where there is investor confidence and a thriving industry based on home-grown innovation and opportunity.
CW: What are your interests away from work?
LC: I live in rural Yorkshire with my husband Jon, our black Lab Teddy, and any number of my three sons and Jon’s two sons. I feel like I’ve spent three-quarters of my life on the touchline as all my boys play rugby. I love cooking, a bit of running, yoga and the occasional juice fast. I’d love to write a book and might base it on some of my experiences in the industry. I think people would probably recognise themselves, but of course all names would be changed to protect the innocent!
This interview was published in the January 2025 issue of Electrical Contracting News.