Colette sets the trail for women in business

Local lady Colette Reynolds Cohen has proudly set a trail for those of her gender from Ireland to follow in being recognised for their impact in the business world in the UK.

Colette was awarded an OBE by the Queen at the end of last year (2019) for her services to the UK Oil and Gas Industry and to Government collaboration.

She was appointed Chief Executive of the new Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) in Aberdeen, Scotland in 2016 in a career that thrived following her school days spent in her local national school of Saint Fursey’s and Saint Vincent’s secondary school.

She later was a student at DKIT where she undertook a two-year course in biology and then was one of a new try out group who was accepted into the second year of a chemistry course in Queens’s University.

She qualified as a petroleum engineer and was employed by BP. She has held posts in Aberdeen, Houston, Stavanger and Kazakhstan. She also spent 15 years with ConocoPhillips, latterly as managing director of its Brittania Operator Limited joint venture with Chevron in the UK.

She has been co-chair of the OGA’s North Sea Decommissioning Board, a member of the Technology Leadership Board and a member of the Board of Oil & Gas UK.

Her fellow country woman Emer Timmons was recently included in the Queen’s birthday honours list to also receive an OBE for her work championing women’s rights in the workplace.

Colette is one of four daughters of Pat and Anna Reynolds, with her sister Patricia a well known local speech and drama teacher who teaches in local schools.

Colette also received a Jubilee Medal from the Kazakh government for her contribution to oil and gas technology.