Over the course of her distinguished career, veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief Gwen Evelyn has consistently united refined professional decorum with incisive, disciplined focus.
That dedication has been the driver behind Energy Guyana Magazine’s success, the country’s only publication dedicated entirely to the oil and gas industry. She has been instrumental in shaping it into a force to be reckoned with in the Guyana media landscape since its launch in December 2020.
Today, on International Women’s Day 2026, we highlight the woman whose career spans several Caribbean newsrooms and more than two decades in the profession.
Energy Magazine was created to address a gap in coverage as Guyana’s oil sector began reshaping the national economy. That concept originated within the Sagacity group of companies.
“Energy magazine is the brainchild of Christopher and Charlene Chapwanya, the owners of the Sagacity group of companies, Gwen shared. “When I joined Sagacity Inc. in 2018, they invited me to help develop a pilot version of the magazine into a commercially viable project.”
The publication took shape over two years before its official debut.
“Our objective was to provide exclusive coverage of Guyana’s energy sector, with a focus on the new oil industry and targeting business professionals,” she added. “We established a company to manage Energy, and in collaboration with design and layout specialist John Duncan from CinNex, we refined the magazine for two years before launching it in December 2020.”
Reader and advertiser support were instrumental in solidifying the magazine’s footing.
Before leading the magazine, Gwen built a career in journalism across the Caribbean. She began as a reporter in Guyana and later held senior editorial positions in several newsrooms.
Gwen shared, “I began my career as a reporter at the Guyana Chronicle newspaper, where I worked for nine years. After that, I moved to Sint Maarten in the Caribbean, where I continued my career as a reporter and later became the editor of the Today newspaper. I returned to Guyana and became the editor of Kaieteur News before moving on to serve as the editor of The Chronicle newspaper in Dominica for 11 years. I also freelanced for The Sun Newspaper in Dominica and supported other media houses when in an editorial role.”
Following Hurricane Maria in 2017, Gwen returned to Guyana and joined Sagacity Inc. the following year, entering a new phase of her career. And her involvement with the magazine expanded as the publication grew. But launching a publication focused on a technical sector presented its own challenges, particularly in a competitive media environment.
“One challenge Energy faced from the inception was producing high-quality content while maintaining profitability in a volatile and highly competitive media environment,” Gwen explained, noting that the nature of the industry requires careful editorial balance.
“Although the energy sector is fast-paced and the information can be highly technical, Energy, as a quarterly publication, has ample flexibility in acquiring information and accessing interviewees,” she said.
Operational pressures also remain part of the work. She noted that the main challenge is keeping costs under control without diminishing the product.
As Guyana’s oil industry expanded rapidly after first oil in 2019, the magazine also refined its editorial approach. “Energy ensures our content aligns with the feedback we receive from both our readers and advertisers. This commitment has been a key factor in every stage of the magazine’s growth,” Gwen stated.
Reader input is now shaping the direction of future editions.
“We are currently transitioning to themed publications that reflect this feedback. While we recognize that we can’t satisfy everyone, we remain focused on producing a product that meets the desires of our growing audience while also addressing the needs of our advertisers,” Gwen outlined.
For her, leading the magazine has brought both professional and personal demands, but she “finds inspiration in challenges”.
“Managing the Energy team, meeting the expectations of readers and advertisers, and navigating the market forces that influence our industry are significant professional challenges,” Gwen noted. “At the same time, dedicating the intense effort that my role demands is a personal challenge.”
And those experiences continue to shape her leadership. “I am proud to have risen to the occasion, and I am happy to guide Energy to continued growth and success.”
Through the magazine’s coverage, Gwen has also observed a growing presence of women across Guyana’s oil and gas sector. “From my perspective, women are playing increasingly significant roles in advancing Guyana’s oil industry. They are making their mark in technical, managerial, and entrepreneurial positions, shaping the industry’s future.”
She believes the sector is evolving as more women pursue opportunities in the field. “The arena is evolving in a positive way and has women who are willing to attain in-demand skills and can position themselves strategically to enter the industry and advance their careers, ultimately achieving leadership roles,” she said. Over the years, Energy Magazine has made a point of highlighting these achievements.
As Guyana’s energy sector continues to evolve, Gwen expects the magazine to keep pace. Future editions will continue documenting the sector while highlighting the people and businesses making an indelible mark in the country’s oil and gas industry.
“We will continue to highlight Local Content, the involvement of Guyanese women in the energy sector, and significant advancements in the industry,” Gwen highlighted. Significantly, under her careful guidance, the publication will continue to adapt to technological shifts affecting modern media.
“In this way, I see Energy Magazine continuing to make a vital contribution to Guyana’s energy story while maintaining its commercial viability,” she said.
