The Gulf Downstream Association (GDA) will host its virtual conference “Transform” on Feb. 22-23. The free-to-attend event, themed “The Evolving Future of Leadership and Project Management,” will provide a unique opportunity for industry participants to discuss leadership in the region’s oil and gas industry, that will take the opportunity to forge ahead with strategic partnerships and bold investments to signal a positive 2021, whilst delivering efficient capital projects under current market conditions. Expected to take part are a range of regional and international operators, policymakers, plant owners, industry consultants, project management professionals, academics, engineers and business and service providers from across the oil and gas value chain.
Day 1 focuses on “The New Reality of Transformational Leadership” and will demonstrate how industry experts view the necessity and traits of transformational leadership and how it is essential in empowering people, embracing digitization, fostering accountability and encouraging innovation.
Day 2 goes on to explore “The New Reality of Project Management” and how the future of capital projects should be managed in light of the new business climate.
The event has been designed by GDA’s two technical committees — Project Management, and Leadership and People Development — under the leadership of Emad A. Al-Muhaisen, division head, Jazan Economic City Development Department, Saudi Aramco, serving as the event committee’s chairman, and Rayyan S. Tayeb, human resources professional at domestic refining and NGLF, Saudi Aramco, serving as the event committee’s vice chairman. They are also the chairpersons of their respective technical committees under GDA.
Khalid Hadi, GDA’s acting secretary-general, said: “We’re excited to continue to facilitate joint industry discussions and action during what continues to be an unprecedented time for our industry and others following the events of the past year. The conference agenda puts forward two key takeaways including traits required of bold leaders to steer strategically yet unconventionally and to understand how to deliver capital effective projects in current market conditions. Contributions from award-winning authors, training heads, consultants, and business leaders make this free-to-attend virtual event an absolute not-to-miss.”
Al-Muhaisen said: “To unleash the potentials of the young workforce, leverage talented and inspiring leadership and realize benefits by creating value, downstream companies will have to pivot quickly. Through our program, we hope to enable downstream players to share knowledge and best practices related to people development and managing projects especially during the current and any similar challenging business environments.
GDA was established by its founding companies from Saudi Aramco, Kuwait Petroleum International, Bahrain Petroleum Company, Kuwait National Petroleum Company and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
