October

October 2012 | Vol. 5 | Issue 3BLUE FUELKey findings reportAccording to several interviewees, a successful executive inthe energy industry will require a solid understanding of theenergy industry as a whole, as well as the function it servesin society. A clear overview of the energy value chain andhow different segments interact with one another is vital forthe leaders of the industry. Besides understanding the energybusiness, being an executive requires a comprehensiveknowledge of the technical aspects of the industry and alsosolid commercial skills. Thus, executives must not onlyunderstand the technical processes behind their productsbut also the commercial mechanisms involved in deliveringtheir products to the market. Ultimately, most executives leadfor-profit organizations and must concentrate on ensuringdesirable financial results. Next to these ‘hard’ skills, anenergy executive must demonstrate good vision andleadership in order to drive energy companies to success.In order to succeed in today’s energy industry, executivesrequire an international orientation. The industry is a globaland multicultural industry, which means that leaders must becomfortable in multicultural environments, accept diversityand leverage on variety.IGU President, Dr Datuk Abdul Rahim Hashim with the first copy of EDI’sreport flanked by Eric Dam (left) and Marius Popescu (right).The development of skills and competenciesIn their own professional development, most executivesregard practical experience as the most important factor.Rotating several jobs within different countries, potentiallydifferent companies and even among various stakeholdersencourages the development of an open mind and a muchneeded overall perspective.Formal education such as professional courses, together withmentoring, mainly had a role of complementing the experiencegained on the job by the interviewees with relevant knowledgeon how the energy industry’s mechanisms interact and how acompany integrates into the overall perspective.Future skills and competenciesThe skill that most interviewees expect to become of greaterimportance in the future is stakeholder management. As theindustry becomes more central in public debate, society’sexpectations towards energy companies regarding their social,health & safety and environmental responsibilities will increasesignificantly and future executives will be required to possessthe necessary skills to manage tighter relationships with allstakeholders. As the energy industry is moving more and moretowards open market conditions, commercial skills and anorientation that places customers at the center of organizationswill become crucial for future energy executives. Future leaderswill require increased flexibility to face the coming trials andrapidly capitalize on future opportunities.Generalists vs. specialistsProfessionals can develop themselves as specialists or as puregeneralists; both routes can lead to top executive positions.There is a ’preferred or natural’ path for professionals in theenergy industry to develop into top level executives namelyto first specialize for a couple of years and afterwards lookto branching out. Several interviewees say that most of theexecutives they know personally in the energy industry aregeneralists with a specialization.Visit our website to read more or contact us to get a copy ofthe report.About EDIEnergy Delta Institute (EDI) is an international energy businessschool, with a primary focus on natural gas. EDI was foundedin 2002 by Nederlandse Gasunie, GasTerra, Gazprom andthe University of Groningen, later joined by Shell, Essent,Dong Energy, EBN, Eneco, Taqa, A.Hak and Tebodin. EDI’smain objective is to contribute to the professional developmentof current and future energy managers. EDI develops andorganizes training programmes and network events with a focuson the economic, management, legal and geopolitical aspects ofthe energy business.www.gazpromexport.com | newsletter@gazpromexport.com | +7 (499) 503-61-61 | comm@gazpromexport.com 23ÝÊÑÏÎÐÒ