PUBLIC EVENT
Energy is the backbone of our society – without it, we simply cannot function. Faced with new geopolitical risks, climate change, population growth and rapidly developing technologies that consume more energy than ever, how do we build an energy system that balances resilience, affordability and sustainability in a world that is fast changing?
This year’s Hinton Lecture 'Delivering a future-fit energy system: From transition to transformation - how can a future-fit energy system can underpin a better society?' will be delivered by Zoë Yujnovich, CEO at National Grid. Zoë was appointed last year to lead the National Grid's next chapter, including overseeing the Great Grid Upgrade, a multi-billion-pound extension and upgrade project to modernise Britain’s electricity transmission network.
Zoë will share her insights on how we build an energy system that balances resilience, affordability and sustainability. She will argue that there is an opportunity to move beyond the technical complexity of transforming the energy system, and focus on what getting it right means for Britain and wider society.
The event will conclude with a live audience Q&A, chaired by Sir John Lazar CBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
About the Hinton Lecture
The Hinton Lecture is the Academy’s prestigious annual lecture, named after the late Lord Hinton of Bankside OM KBE FRS FREng, the first President of the Academy. For nearly 50 years, the annual Hinton Lecture has hosted some of the world’s leading voices in engineering. They have shared bold visions for the future on cutting edge technologies to emerging challenges and reflected on the differences being made by the latest breakthroughs.
Zoë Yujnovich
Appointed CEO of National Grid in 2025, Zoë is a globally recognised leader with a distinguished track record of driving performance and delivering strategic impact across complex international businesses. At National Grid, she leads a business of 33,000 colleagues, spanning US, UK and European energy markets, with £70 billion of capital investment to be deployed across the Group to 2031.
Over the course of her career, she has held senior operational, commercial and strategic roles, working across multiple geographies in the energy and natural resources sectors. She joined National Grid after a decade with Shell where she ran their global integrated gas and upstream business, and was a member of Shell’s Executive Committee. Zoë began her career at Rio Tinto as an Engineer. She started in frontline operational roles deeply embedded within the community as she developed her career in increasingly challenging management roles. Over her career she has held roles in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Netherlands, US, and UK.
Zoë serves as a Non-Executive Director of Unilever plc, sits on the Boards of the British American Business Council and the Edison Electric Institute, and is a member of both the US National Petroleum Council and the UK’s Business Council.
Sir John Lazar CBE FREng
President of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Sir John serves as Chair of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which empowers young people through computing and digital technologies. He is also a co-founder, General Partner, and a Limited Partner at Enza Capital, which supports tech-driven solutions to major challenges in Africa. He serves on several African tech company boards, and was previously Chair of What3words.
Programme*
| Time | Action |
| 6.00pm | Registration and refreshments |
| 6.30pm |
Welcome and introduction Sir John Lazar CBE FREng, President, Royal Academy of Engineering |
| 6.35pm | Hinton Lecture 2026 Zoë Yujnovich, CEO, National Grid |
| 7.00pm | Q&A session with audience |
| 7.28pm |
Closing remarks Sir John Lazar CBE FREng, President, Royal Academy of Engineering |
| 7.30pm | Drinks reception |
| 8.00pm | Close of event |
*programme subject to change