With nearly ten years of public relations agency experience in the energy sector, Diana Bengea joined the Strohm team in November 2024 as marketing and communications lead. Already a familiar face to the team, having worked with Strohm in a previous agency role, Diana has already been a big help in enhancing our brand visibility and showcasing what we have planned for the new year.
"In my previous role I had the pleasure of supporting Strohm's major milestones as it evolved to become a leader in the subsea space - from rebranding from Airborne Oil and Gas, to investment rounds, innovative partnerships with DNV and Evonik, and major contract wins.
"Although this new role has different responsibilities, my previous experience has equipped me to take this next step and paved the way for fresh ideas to reflect the growth of our company.
"I've also been very lucky to join an exceptional team who have enabled a smooth transition into the role. This is particularly true of my colleague in the marketing team, Natasja de Jong, who has been fantastic in showing me the ropes."
Having joined Strohm at an exciting time of growth and diversification, Diana mirrors our passion for sustainability in the energy industry.
"The industry as a whole is learning to adopt a sustainability-focused mindset, making sure the lights stay on whilst progressing greener projects. Net zero ambitions are at the core of what we do at Strohm, from driving lower carbon emissions through efficient operations in traditional energy fields to engaging with renewables projects. This includes our recent work across the hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCUS) markets, which present an opportunity to the energy industry that cannot be missed.
"Sustainability has always been a key part of our journey and I look forward to the next steps, as we harness the energy and passion of our people and collaborate to reach the world's decarbonisation goals."
This collaboration is something that Diana has already had the chance to experience as part of the Strohm team, working closely with our operational department to gain hands on experience with our TCP technologies.
"My intro to the production team, including a full shift in the manufacturing department, was a really beneficial experience and allowed me to see firsthand the work that goes into developing our technologies, and how important teamwork is to that process. This has built my knowledge of the intricacies of the product and its application in the field. I was impressed with the passion, dedication and commitment of our people.
"I work closely alongside various departments to find out their news, whether that is operational or business updates, and everyone so far has been helpful and supportive, which makes my job much easier! This human approach is testament to the culture of the business, both at our base in Ijmuiden and within our global teams.
"From the CEO giving me a personal tour of our production facilities, to my new co-workers helping me to find a new apartment when I moved from Aberdeen, Scotland, the Strohm team have been incredibly welcoming and I'm looking forward to working even closer with them in this new role, communicating our company journey."
The support of her team so far has been particularly important to Diana following her recent relocation to the Netherlands.
"Joining the team and moving to the Netherlands has also allowed me to embrace a new culture and I look forward to connecting with both locals and expats. After moving from my home in Romania to Scotland ten years ago, I could say I'm somewhat experienced in moving to a new country. Strohm has employees of 30 different nationalities which makes it easier to connect with coworkers and find my footing as I navigate the transition.
"In the new year I'm now taking on the challenge of starting to learn the Dutch language so I can further explore the country and work even more closely with the wider team to showcase the innovative projects we are bringing to the market."