Captivated by dynamic developments in energy

Toni Beukes has over 18 years of experience in the energy sector across oil, gas and renewables. She was appointed as Hyphen Hydrogen Energy's head of environment, social and governance (ESG) on 1 July 2022.

While she believes her educational background has been a significant pillar in shaping her career, she enjoys leading the company's socio-economic development workstream, which she describes as a great privilege and an enormous challenge.

Amongst other educational qualifications, Beukes holds a bachelor of jurisprudence degree and an LLB from the University of Namibia, and is an admitted attorney in the High Court of Namibia.

Additionally, she has earned two master's degrees: An MBA in international oil and gas management and an LLM in energy law and policy, both with distinction from the University of Dundee in Scotland.

In recognition of her academic excellence, Beukes was honoured with the 2012/13 University of Dundee Centre for Energy Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy Trust prize for being the best management student.

She identified her passion for the energy sector when her journey began in oil and gas.

After she pursued her master’s studies, she was captivated by the dynamic developments in South Africa, especially with the implementation of the renewable independent power producer procurement programme (REIPPPP), and has held various roles working on REIPPPP projects in South Africa over the last decade.

Her involvement in the South African wind industry extended to serving as a director and chair of the Economic Development Working Group at the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) and director of the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC). These factors aligned to lead her to this current position.



Responsibilities

As head of ESG, her responsibilities encompass a wide range of tasks to ensure sustainability and social impact.

“I am accountable for developing and implementing our sustainability strategy, overseeing internal governance and compliance measures, and preparing ESG reports to communicate our progress transparently,” she said

Additionally, she is tasked with developing the sustainable economic development strategy and plan, which will be presented to government after the feasibility phase of the green hydrogen project.

To create a well-informed and comprehensive strategy, Beukes said she will be coordinating baseline studies and facilitating consultations with local communities, civil society organisations, regional leaders, local authorities and the private sector.

Her long-term goals for Hyphen are closely aligned to the development of the renewable industry in Namibia, which she said is exciting and promising.

Beukes added that the monumental scale of the Hyphen project, combined with government's ambitions for a green hydrogen industry, signifies significant milestones in Namibia's economic development.

These endeavours not only contribute to global energy security and the fight against climate change, but also offer substantial socio-economic benefits for the people of Namibia, she said.

“I am focused on creating numerous employment opportunities, fostering skill development and promoting entrepreneurial ventures, especially for the disenfranchised youth of our country."



Challenges

According to Beukes, challenges can arise within the green hydrogen sector due to its technical complexity and specialised nature. Understanding the intricacies of green hydrogen and the Hyphen project can be difficult, which is why she emphasised how important it is for Hyphen to strengthen stakeholder engagement through information sharing and education to build trust and support in the project.

In her free time, Beukes loves: Dancing, especially salsa and kizomba; hosting dinner parties; travelling and trying new food; hiking and camping trips with her husband. Exploring markets is fascinating, and she has a fondness for discovering unique earrings to add to her collection, she said.