ADVOCATING for more women to pursue leadership roles in the nuclear industry, Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC) has welcomed an experienced ambassador to their board.

Hayley Critchley, Sizewell C Head of Site Compliance at EDF, will bring her wealth of experience in the nuclear industry to BECBC’s network of organisations as a Non-Executive Director (NED) over the next year.

Hayley’s appointment is part of Women in Nuclear’s (WiN) drive to empower women to lead board discussions.

BECBC selected Hayley to join their board through the WiN programme. She will receive mentorship from Claire Gallery-Strong, IWMP Programme and Strategy Director at Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).

Hayley is one of ten women in the UK selected for the WiN-NED initiative, which combines workshops, board placements, and mentorships to provide a supported route for women to enter board positions.

The programme helps to foster strong professional relationships, increase core industry knowledge, and enhance leadership skills – contributing to a more balanced workforce.

The BECBC board come from varied backgrounds, sectors, and areas, bringing different expertise to the table, with the means to add value to the outcomes for members.

Dianne Richardson, Chief Executive Officer at BECBC, said: “At BECBC we are constantly looking at ways to make sure we have diverse voices in our conversations, including in our board meetings. We’re delighted to welcome Hayley to our team with her valuable experience in new nuclear, and I’d urge other organisations who haven’t taken part in the scheme to reach out to WiN for a conversation.”

Hayley Critchley said: “Your gender should never be a barrier to having a positive impact in your industry. I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to gain insight into how a board operates and get hands-on experience of what it takes to operate effectively at this level.

“For BECBC members I want to be able to make a positive contribution, by sharing my special mix of experience and knowledge from working with different licensees at different nuclear plant life cycle phases.”

Hayley took up her appointment on 20th February and attended her first BECBC board meeting on 1st March.

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