My Story: Hannah McCarthy

By Hannah McCarthy

I didn’t enter the tech sector with a grand master plan. When I went to the University of Birmingham to study Business Management with Marketing, I certainly didn’t foresee a future in green tech—especially since half the jobs now didn’t exist then! But what I have learned since starting my career is something far more valuable than a rigid career roadmap: being part of an organisation or a sector that you care about is way more important than the job title itself.

My career in tech began during my four and a half years at BT Group (spanning BT and EE). It was a very good proving ground. I learned how to operate within a traditional technology corporation, how to navigate complex political environments, and how to hold my own in heavily male-dominated spaces. I progressed quickly into a management role, driving new customer propositions into new markets. I was successful on paper, but the reality was that broadband simply didn’t excite me. I realised I needed to find purpose within my environment, so I decided to expand my remit and step into the role of Graduate Career Manager. I wanted to help the next generation of talent navigate their way through the often-overwhelming tech graduate schemes.

What happened next changed my career roadmap entirely. I left telecoms to join Octopus Energy—a disruptor that didn’t even exist when I was applying for university, in a sector that has fundamentally transformed energy into a technology industry over the last decade. The reason I moved was simple: I found a company that seamlessly aligned with my core values. I wanted to use technological innovation to do something genuinely good for the world, one solar panel at a time!

Today, as Head of Partnerships for New Homes, leading the “Zero Bills” initiative, I sit at the intersection of green infrastructure, hardware, and smart technology. This role gives me the opportunity to make a tangible, life-changing difference to individuals, particularly in the social housing sector. The premise of the tech is revolutionary but beautifully simple: by integrating roof-mounted solar panels, home batteries, and air-source heat pumps with a cutting-edge technology platform, we dynamically balance a home’s energy use. The result is that we completely remove the energy bill. Where energy security and price rises are a growing concern, this is a space where I can anad have made a real difference.

Facilitating homes that are zero carbon in operation – this is the gold standard of housing energy tech, and I get to be at the forefront, leading the charge. I’ve had the immense privilege of taking this message far and wide, showcasing our technological advancements on The One Show and ITV News. More importantly, I know our work is actively influencing the entire industry—from shaping policy to driving legacy providers to finally innovate in the tech energy space and using technology to change the fundamental infrastructure of how people live.

Alongside my career in green tech, I have pursued my passion for wildlife protection by becoming a Board Trustee for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation. It is a role that stretches me, but it is a vital way for me to give back and advocate for the natural world.

If my journey so far has taught me anything, it’s that a career doesn’t need to be perfectly mapped out from the start. You just have to follow what you care about. But I also know firsthand that the tech industry is a tough gig for women. Navigating male-dominated spaces, fighting to have our voices heard, and pushing the boundaries of innovation requires immense resilience. That is why awards like this are so vital—they are a wonderful celebration of our triumphs, a recognition of the unique challenges we face along the way, and a reminder to the next generation of women that there is space for them to lead, innovate, and change the world.