麻豆传媒

Your career has taken you to many different countries. What can you tell us about the path that led to your current role?

My career path has been marked by a few significant transitions. I鈥檓 originally from Turkmenistan and moved to Russia to earn my master鈥檚 degree in mechanical engineering from the leading higher education institution for oil and gas education. Then, in 2001, I received a scholarship from the British government that allowed me to travel outside the post-Soviet region to see how the rest of the world operated. At the time, my goal was to understand the cultural differences between industries in various countries so that we could bring foreign investments back to Russia.

The scholarship allowed me to complete my MBA at Edinburgh University. The program included about 130 people from about 30 different nationalities, and it was very helpful in learning how to build fruitful relationships across cultures. I feel that working on projects in multicultural teams as a part of my MBA truly influenced my personality and overall perspective.

In addition to that experience, most of my career has been in business development, sales and technology licensing. When the world started to think about decarbonisation, I became interested in working with technologies that aided that effort. I鈥檝e now worked with Shell in some capacity for over 30 years.

What motivates you the most about your current position?

My current role is focused on Shell鈥檚 decarbonisation technology and involves working with customers across different industries and regions to find the best solutions for their journey. When I started, my team was relatively new. Our goal is to increase their impact with potential customers.

The most exciting thing about being in this business is that we are involved not only in the oil and gas industry, but also with other industries facing different abatement challenges, such as waste management plants, steel mills, cement plants, pulp and paper plants and more. This provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with people across industries and develop custom strategies to help meet key objectives.

I understand that you are currently leading a number of decarbonised (blue) hydrogen and ammonia projects for Shell Catalysts & Technologies in the Middle East. What is it like working on those projects?

All blue hydrogen and blue ammonia projects are really interesting. For example, we have a company that is voluntarily exploring decarbonisation technology, looking for ways to meet regulations in Europe and Japan and determining what products it can produce with its own natural resources.

Leading internal projects on the commercial side means that I am not only the focal to customers but also the many experts within the Shell organisation. I see them put the strategy together and ask, 鈥淲hich way should we go?鈥� 

Answering this question requires going through different scenarios to determine the most effective, efficient path, and it鈥檚 fascinating to be a part of that decision-making process. The projects that I really enjoy and find the most interesting are those that require strategy and development of a vision for the future. 

How would you describe perspectives on decarbonisation within hard-to-abate industries? What is driving these industries toward decarbonisation? 

I've seen a notable increase in reducing carbon footprints among hard-to-abate industries, such as cement and steel. While attitudes towards decarbonisation vary based on regional regulations and social responsibility factors, the overall trend is towards greater awareness and increased action.

In regions with stringent environmental regulations, companies are compelled to reduce emissions to comply with standards and avoid penalties. But even in areas with less stringent regulations, many companies proactively seek ways to stay ahead of future rules and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.

There is also a growing recognition that investing in decarbonisation technologies can lead to long-term cost savings and increased competitiveness. For instance, energy-efficient practices and technologies reduce carbon emissions and lower operating costs over time, making them financially appealing.

Businesses in hard-to-abate industries also know that their reputation and market demand can be affected by their decarbonisation strategies. Consumers and investors are increasingly prioritising environmentally responsible practices, so companies face pressure from customers, shareholders and other stakeholders to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. Decarbonisation measures can enhance their brand reputation, attract environmentally conscious consumers and allow them to access green financing opportunities.

Rapid advancements in decarbonisation technologies, including carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), are also making it more feasible and cost-effective for industries to reduce their carbon footprint. As these technologies mature and become more accessible, companies are increasingly willing to explore and implement them in their decarbonisation strategies.

I understand you are currently organising a knowledge workshop around decarbonisation in hard-to-abate industries. What can you tell us about the goals of this workshop?

Right now, I鈥檓 primarily responsible for working with our customers in Nordic countries. Because of the ambitious decarbonisation goals that many Scandinavian countries have, most oil refineries there have already adopted some measure of decarbonising production sites. But there are other industries here that are harder to abate and don鈥檛 have as much support or guidance. This workshop aims to help companies in those hard-to-abate industries who are in the very early stage of developing their decarbonisation plans.

While Shell has traditionally focused on oil and gas, our wider business has a significant knowledge base not only in terms of technology, but also in working with different sectors in supply. We will provide information about the technology and the value chains associated with decarbonisation.

I hope this workshop will promote a mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge. My team is focused on developing a bigger picture where we not only provide present technologies but better understand how Shell can support clients in the future.

We want to help our customers develop their strategies faster and with better understanding. Ultimately, having more industries on board with decarbonisation will benefit global audiences.