With operations spanning Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), GE Vernova’s workforce reflects the rich cultural fabric of the region. Shereif Rostom, the Regional Director for Project Execution (Gulf & NE Africa) and Chief Diversity Officer for EMEA, partners with multiple regional HR leaders to oversee efforts to build an inclusive culture where all employees can thrive. To support this goal, Shereif also chairs the DEI council, comprised of passionate volunteer colleagues, spread across the region (George Vagias, Jules Ngongang, Noor Al-rahma, Sabine deWatteville, Sandra Aziz, Thelma Osuhor). They meet regularly to track agreed actions.
Shereif brings a diverse background to this mission. “I was raised internationally and moved around a lot on account of my father’s job, being a foreigner in many places meant I had both positive and negative discriminatory experiences” he explains. This instilled an early appreciation for diversity that has stayed with him. Shereif is now dedicated to creating welcoming workplaces. At GE Vernova, he leads a team of executives as they integrate equity and inclusion into all aspects of the employee experience.
Leadership Drives Culture Change
Progress starts at the top for GE Vernova. Shereif reports directly to the senior leadership team to align on diversity, equity and inclusion objectives. “It does start with senior leadership, walking that talk,” he says.
By incorporating DEI metrics into regular business reviews and modeling desired behaviors, leaders signal these issues as integral to GE Vernova’s success. Shereif describes his own leadership style as “nurturing” and acting with “authenticity.” Building trust helps foster an environment where people feel safe surfacing concerns.
Strategy in Action Across Employee Journey
Shereif’s team has developed a multi-faceted strategy to cultivate inclusion across the employee lifecycle. Efforts include, bias training, standardizing leadership tools, external benchmarking and strengthening hiring practices to mitigate bias and ensuring equal access to opportunities. “The fact that engineering graduates far fewer females is no excuse for us to be entering interview panels where there’s one female or none,” Shereif asserts.
Once on board, employees find community through networking groups like the Women’s Network and Disability Network. These groups provide visibility into issues affecting different demographics. As Shereif explains, “It creates a safe space…to feel empowered and speak up.”
Regular communications make diversity and inclusion an ongoing priority rather than a one-time initiative. For example, meetings can start with a “diversity moment” to prompt reflection. Shereif’s team are working to publish a bi-monthly diversity newsletter covering GE Vernova’s programs as well as external events.
“The follow up communication is just as important,” says Shereif. Outreach dispels notions that “nothing is being done.”
Join the Talent Community
GE Vernova welcomes talent across functions and regions aligned with their inclusive values. Explore openings and join the EMEA talent community at [http://invent.ge/poweringtalent](http://invent.ge/poweringtalent).
Shereif aims to focus efforts where GE Vernova can make the most impact within the diverse EMEA landscape. “We can’t solve all issues,” he acknowledges. “But we’re trying to take real steps.”
Why Diversity Matters
Research consistently shows that diverse teams perform better. Companies reap benefits from diversity and inclusion including improved innovation, retention, and customer insight.
Despite progress, women and minorities remain underrepresented, especially at senior levels. Shereif firmly believes cultivating diversity and inclusion is both a moral and business imperative. “We’re trying to better reflect our customers and the global population,” he says.
Organizations that fail to prioritize diversity risk falling behind competitors. “Everyone has to be on board with this,” urges Shereif. “It needs to be led by leadership.”
At GE Vernova, commitment starts at the top. But leaders recognize culture change requires consistent hard work. “Some pain comes with growth,” Shereif notes. By leaning into inclusion, GE Vernova aims to engage employees’ full potential.
Beyond Diversity to Equity and Inclusion
While proud of GE Vernova’s diversity, Shereif stresses the work goes beyond representation alone. “It’s not just getting people in the door,” he says.
GE Vernova focuses on advancing equity—fair treatment and access—and inclusion—feeling valued for unique contributions. As Shereif explains, “Even defining the differences took education.”
Addressing gaps in equity includes analyzing discrepancies in experiences between groups. “Why can the experience be so different across teams, functions, people groups and geographies?” he questions. Deeper conversations are needed to dig into the causes.
For inclusion, GE Vernova looks at qualitative measures like whether employees feel empowered through communication and listening. This data comes from engagement surveys and feedback.
The three E’s—education, engagement and empowerment—shape GE Vernova’s growth strategy. Efforts cast a wide net from hiring practices to analyzing gaps. Says Shereif, “The tide is turning.” Though change takes time, he sees a growing will to do the work.
Shereif aims to spread this message across EMEA. Though some areas are early on the diversity journey, patience and focus will drive results. He is optimistic about GE Vernova’s path forward.
“It’s a positive message,” says Shereif. “Thanks to leadership for believing in it and leading.” By walking the talk on inclusion, GE Vernova strives to bring out the best in its people.
