Alrun Wigand, Digital Strategist
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Alrun’s future is Energy Queensland
Over the 17-plus years she’s been with us at Energy Queensland, Alrun Wigand has built an impressive resume filled with many career highlights. Now, as Digital Strategist, she’s got her sights on working towards a greener and more sustainable future. We sat down with Alrun to talk about her incredible journey, the importance of embracing emerging technologies and the support systems that have helped set her up for success.
The power of collaboration
Alrun’s story at Energy Queensland began with some turbulence. Just weeks into her new role as Distribution Management System (DMS) Team Leader, she faced a daunting task - one that would put her leadership skills and adaptability to the test.
“When I started in 2007, we were right in the middle of storm season in Queensland,” says Alrun. “So, we were on high alert for electrical storms and cyclones because these events can wreak havoc on the power network.
“In my second or third week, a major storm hit in the middle of the night and brought down the outage management system. It was very much a baptism by fire, but luckily my team was prepared for it. I was incredibly fortunate to have highly experienced and motivated people around me. They had my back, and we got through it because of them.”
The camaraderie and team spirit that saved the day in 2007 would become a defining experience of Alrun’s tenure at Energy Queensland. Today, as one of our Digital Strategists, Alrun knows that these aspects are more important than ever for achieving our collective goals.
“One of my most rewarding achievements has been to successfully promote collaboration across many divisions for delivering our Future Grid strategies and supporting the renewable energy transition.” says Alrun “The electricity industry is transforming fast, and it became clear early that no one could tackle these challenges in silos. I started small, and established a Future Grid reference group, hoping we would eventually grow into a community of like-minded people.
“The Future Grid community is about bringing everyone together, facilitating communication and fostering a culture of openness, learning, and excitement about the future. I believe part of our progress in this space is due to the trust and collaboration we’ve established across many teams.”
Come build the career you’ve always wanted. Your Future is Energy Queensland
Purpose-driven innovation
After 17-plus years and five different roles, Alrun’s career is a testament to the opportunities to forge a rewarding, lasting career at Energy Queensland.
Since 2018, she’s thrived as a Digital Strategist. In this busy and varied role, she draws on her forward-thinking mindset to integrate emerging digital technologies and collaborate closely with other strategy teams.
“Along with corporate strategy and engineering strategy, a few years ago, we realised that we would need digital strategy to understand the opportunities and risks that emerging technologies could hold for our organisation.”
A major focus of her work is on the digital transformation necessary to accommodate renewable energy resources while keeping the power network secure, safe and affordable. In order to do this, she undertakes extensive research and collaborates with stakeholders to develop viable and robust strategies.
“Before I can do a digital transformation strategy, I need to understand the business impact,” says Alrun. “There is a lot of effort going on at the moment to change how customers interact with the network and how energy market players and network providers interact with each other. It’s a huge undertaking and it’s very exciting to work towards a more sustainable future.”
Reflecting on her journey at Energy Queensland, Alrun recognises the importance of her work and the everyday impact she makes through her role.
"I had a great career in finance, but the one thing that drove me out was that I couldn’t see the purpose of what I was doing,” says Alrun. “I can clearly see the purpose of what I’m doing here. I know my work directly affects all Queenslanders - how many other jobs could offer that kind of impact?”
Sights set to the future
Outside of work, Alrun is an avid weightlifter who works with a coach on technique and form. She enjoys physical exercise as a way to de-stress, and early morning workouts help set the tone for the day.
This dedication to wellbeing aligns with the supportive environment she’s found at Energy Queensland. She appreciates the organisation’s commitment to employee care, through initiatives such as our Mental Health Program
As she looks ahead, Alrun is excited about driving a vision for a sustainable and renewable future. Although it will take a lot of work to get there, she’s optimistic about achieving our Strategic Plan 2032 (PDF 2.9 mb) goals and looks forward to the day when Queensland can showcase its achievements on the world stage.
“The planning for everything we’re going to build by 2030 is already underway. When people come over here for the Olympics in 2032, I would really love to be able to say we achieved our targets and delivered a climate-positive Olympics.”
