#represent
Things we learnt speaking with Sarah Milton-Hunt, Chief Information and Digital Officer at National Grid
In this episode of #REPRESENT, we sat down with Sarah Milton-Hunt, Chief Information and Digital Officer and a transformation leader at National Grid, a multinational electricity and gas utility company. Sarah revealed insights into National Grid’s efforts to decarbonise the power system. She discussed the scale of the challenge and the role of cutting-edge technologies in driving sustainable practices. Sarah shed light on the importance of diversity and leadership in tech roles and offered valuable advice for aspiring tech professionals.
Key takeaways
Going Green with Tech
National Grid is taking on the mission to decarbonise the power system, and technology plays a pivotal role in their efforts. They are embracing digital solutions to enhance efficiency, safety, and view technology as an important copilot to help us achieve net zero.
The Magic of Generative AI
Generative AI is the tech wizard empowering National Grid’s data-driven decisions and insights. However, Sarah emphasises the crucial partnership between AI and human expertise, creating a dynamic interplay for transformative results.
“With generative AI, you’re going to be looking for things like prompt engineers. You’ve got to be capable of asking the right questions versus actually necessarily being able to code and then talking about code. The language for that is going to be English more and more. So, you know, it’s how do you ask data the right questions and pair that with the rest of the digital capabilities to make a difference.” – Sarah Milton-Hunt, Chief Information and Digital Officer, National Grid
Embracing Diversity in Tech
Sarah strongly advocates for diversity in the energy sector and tech roles. Different perspectives are vital for true transformation, and fostering an inclusive environment where people feel safe to embrace failure and learn is essential.
The Power of Transformational Leadership
Sarah believes that transformational leadership is the key to unlocking the full potential of tech teams. By fostering a collaborative and empowering environment, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and encouraging diverse perspectives, leaders can drive innovation and achieve remarkable results in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
Aspiring tech professionals can learn from Sarah’s experience, understanding that technical skills are essential, but collaboration, curiosity, and resilience are equally crucial. Embrace a diverse and inclusive mindset to power digital transformation and create a more sustainable world.
The full interview is available on our YouTube and Spotify!