Javiera McGuiggan is helping shape the future of the electrical engineering sector — from advancing bio-based solutions to championing diverse leadership. In this edition of Five minutes with…, she shares insights on the industry’s momentum, the value of different perspectives, and the technologies she believes will drive the next decade.

Can you tell us about how you got into the electrical engineering industry?

My introduction to this industry actually came as a result of my current role managing the global business of FR3® at Cargill. This is a bio-based chemical innovation that serves the electrical industry, and that’s how I found my way into the world of energy.

Even though I’m trained as a civil engineer, most of my team are electrical engineers, so I’ve learned a lot from them. My background gives me a different perspective — I understand structures and systems — but working on FR3® really opened the door for me into this fascinating sector.

What initially interested you in moving into this field?

Energy is essential to everything we do. Any outage or shortage quickly reminds us how much we depend on it — from hospitals to communications to transportation. It’s the backbone of modern life.

Being part of efforts to make the grid more resilient, sustainable and efficient feels like a meaningful challenge. It’s an industry that keeps evolving, and I wish more people would join our sector because we must move faster and continue to innovate.

What has been your experience as a woman building a career in what’s traditionally a male-dominated field?
It can feel lonely at times, for sure. There are still very few women in electrical engineering, but those who are here are incredibly smart and supportive of one another. There’s a real sense of community among us.

Interestingly, I’ve found that being a woman in this space has also worked in my favour. When your work delivers good results, you stand out more — it gives you visibility and a platform to show what female leadership can bring to this industry. It’s something I’ve embraced, and I’m proud to represent women in electrical engineering.

What do you think are the benefits of gender diversity in the electrical engineering sector?

Women tend to think differently — not better, just differently. We often juggle many variables at once, bring empathy and a holistic perspective to decision-making, and pay attention to detail and team dynamics.

That creates a unique energy within teams and encourages people to go beyond the minimum. Diversity in thinking and leadership styles strengthens any industry and in electrical engineering, where women are still underrepresented, it’s especially important that our voices are heard.

You’ve been on the CWIEME advisory board for several years now — what inspired you to get involved?

I’ve been involved for about four years. From my first visit, I loved that CWIEME felt like a place where people genuinely bring innovation to the table. The panels were informative and forward-thinking, not just promotional.

It’s a great platform for meaningful conversations with industry leaders including CEOs, COOs, procurement heads and so on. Becoming an advisor was a way to contribute to that — to help ensure that new technologies and ideas, especially those driving sustainability and grid resilience, have a platform to be seen and heard.

Finally, what technology do you think will have the biggest impact on the industry over the next ten years?

That’s a tough one! I hope we’ll see something truly revolutionary — the kind of breakthrough no one expects, like how certain medical innovations have transformed their fields overnight.

But realistically, I think the biggest impact will come from technologies that make the grid more efficient. We need so much more energy, but we can’t simply build or reopen old, unsustainable sources. Getting more out of what we already have will be key. That’s where I hope to see the next big leap forward.