One week left until Women in Cement and Construction EMEA 2025! A line-up of powerful and bold ladies leading the way to a more cohesive and inclusive work environment – join us now in Bucharest on October 16 and 17 and meet some of the most inspiring women leaders!
Check out the program at the following link: https://industrylink.eu/preliminary-program-women-in-cemco-emea-2025.
What is truly sustainable? Challenges from the UK construction industry.
Athina Papakosta, Sustainability and Carbon Lead, Skanska Costain STRABAG JV – HS2 London Tunnels – UK
In an ever-evolving world with climate change and the wider environmental crisis becoming increasingly pressing, awareness on sustainability is rising. But neither fast enough nor always with clarity on what the right steps are at the different layers of our economy and activities towards a sustainable transition.
How do we ‘sell’ sustainability when it’s neither mandatory nor saves money directly?
Do policy, targets and associated actions to comply with them add up for overall carbon reduction or do they have significant unintended consequences?
Where is the healthy line between celebrating even small wins to encourage further progress and avoiding greenwashing that settles for far less than needed?
The session will explore real-world examples from the UK construction industry on challenges such as they above with a view to discuss what are the most suitable ways to overcome them.
Empowering Leadership – Women in Heavy Industries (Emerging India Scenario)
Malini Chatterjee Vice President – HR, Vicat in India Group
Women are steadily transforming the face of heavy industries such as cement, steel, mining, power and large-scale manufacturing. Once considered male-dominated domains, these sectors are now opening up opportunities for women to contribute not only as engineers and technical experts but also as Senior Managers, Plant Heads and Policy Leaders. This shift has been enabled by a combination of factors — progressive recruitment policies, workplace safety improvements, skill-development initiatives and targeted leadership programs designed to build confidence and capability.
By bringing diverse perspectives to strategic decisions, women leaders in heavy industries are influencing innovation, operational efficiency and sustainability practices. They are also role models for younger professionals, showing that gender need not limit career aspirations in challenging environments. As organizations embrace inclusivity and invest in mentorship, the presence of women in leadership roles becomes a catalyst for cultural change and long-term business growth
Driving Sustainability in Concrete: The Strategic Role of Women in Innovation and Policy
Grazia Bertagnoli, Secretary General, European Ready Mixed Concrete Organization
In leadership roles, women tend to promote more inclusive decisions focused on collective well-being, favouring construction solutions aligned with environmental and social criteria. Their involvement in education and awareness-raising is essential to spreading a culture of sustainability that engages both communities and professionals in the sector.
In this presentation, Engineer Bertagnoli aims to highlight the sustainability of the most widely used construction material in the world, shifting from a technical to a policy-making perspective. Her experience spans from laboratory research to construction sites, and now to the European level through the management of concrete and concrete admixture organizations. The goal is to demonstrate how decisions made at the European level translate into concrete actions for the sector, and how the contribution of women can positively influence these processes.
The contribution of women can play a crucial role in promoting the sustainability of concrete, thanks to their skills and innovative perspectives in the fields of research, management, and education. In the scientific arena, many female researchers are engaged in the development of alternative materials and low-impact technologies, ranging from studies on the use of recycled aggregates to bio-based concrete.
Digital Transformation within the construction industry
Andreea Ioniță, Digital & Innovation Director CEE, CRH
Andreea Ioniță is the Digital & Innovation Director for Central and Eastern Europe at CRH, a global leader in building materials. She leads the regional digital and innovation strategy across 10 countries, driving value through data, AI, and technology-enabled business transformation.
Her work focuses on enabling operational excellence, sustainability, and commercial growth by embedding digital solutions into core business processes.
With over 20 years of international experience, Andreea has held executive and board-level roles across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in the energy and telecommunications sectors, in leading companies such as E.ON, Orange, Vodafone, and Ericsson. She has a proven track record in delivering large-scale transformations and digital innovation programs in complex, multinational environments.
A frequent speaker at industry events, Andreea is passionate about how technology can improve lives and strengthen communities. She is also a dedicated mentor for the next generation of leaders and a strong advocate for digital leadership and women in technology. She holds a degree in Finance and Banking from the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies and has completed executive programs at IMD, IESE, and Boston University
