Deputy CEO at Rarik, Iceland. Dr. Silja Rán Steinberg Sigurðardóttir is an accomplished leader in the energy sector with a strong background in economic regulation, innovation, and public administration.
She is currently Deputy CEO at Rarik, one of Iceland’s major distribution system operators (DSO), where she focuses on infrastructure, policy, and strategic development to support a resilient, efficient, and future-proof electricity system. In her role, she also acts as a key interface with authorities and stakeholders.
Silja began her career in finance after earning a master's degree in Financial Engineering. Following the financial crisis, she pivoted to energy, completing a Ph.D. in Applied Science and Engineering, focused on the sustainable utilization of geothermal resources. Her doctoral work built on a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Iceland, with a focus on operations research and systems optimization. Though she initially planned to work in geothermal, she found her calling in the electricity sector, where she has spent over a decade in regulatory and leadership roles.
Prior to joining Rarik, Silja led the National Regulatory Authority at Iceland’s National Energy Authority, overseeing market regulation, policy consultation, and legal analysis. She represented Iceland in European and international regulatory forums, helping to shape market design and promote energy security.
She is fluent in Icelandic, English, and German, and serves on the boards of Netorka, Iceland’s central metering data and settlement company and Women in Energy Iceland, where she promotes gender diversity, inclusive workplace culture, and forward-looking governance in the energy and utilities sector