On 4 August 1986, I walked into bp for my first day in the oil and gas industry.
Like many graduates starting their careers, I had little idea where the journey would lead. What attracted me to the industry was its international nature, its use of technology and innovation, and the sense that it sat close to major events shaping the world around us.
Forty years later, all of those things remain true.
The industry has changed enormously. New technologies have emerged, societal expectations have evolved, and today's conversations around climate, nature, sustainability and the energy transition would scarcely have featured in the discussions I heard as a graduate.
Yet when I look back on those first few months, it is not the technology, the business processes or even the training that I remember most.
It is the people.
bp invested heavily in its graduate recruits and brought us together to learn about the commercial realities of the downstream business. The training was important and undoubtedly contributed to my development. If I'm honest, however, much of the course content has faded with time.
The friendships have not.
Many of the people I met in those early days remain friends today. Looking back, that seems a more significant outcome than any individual lesson from the training programme itself.
That observation has stayed with me throughout my career.
I've worked across different businesses, in different countries and through periods of significant change. Along the way I encountered countless individuals whose expertise, judgement, humour and support made a lasting impression. When I think about different chapters of my career, it is often the people that come to mind before the projects or positions.
One group that particularly stands out are the people I encountered through bp Marine.
At various points throughout my career I found myself working alongside colleagues from the marine business. They always struck me as a slightly different breed. Operating at the intersection of the oil and shipping industries requires a particular combination of commercial awareness, operational pragmatism and resilience. The business never sleeps, the world never stands still and the consequences of getting things wrong can be significant.
Perhaps it was the nature of the work, but bp Marine seemed to attract people with a unique ability to solve problems, build relationships and keep perspective when things became complicated. Many of them became friends, and I learnt a great deal from them over the years.
Today, I find myself leading Ipieca at a time when the industry faces a different set of challenges and opportunities.
Our work spans climate, nature, people and sustainability issues. Many of these topics are complex and sometimes contentious. None can be addressed by a single company or organisation acting alone.
What gives me confidence is the quality of the people I encounter through Ipieca.
Across our member companies, partner organisations and stakeholder community, I regularly see individuals who are willing to share expertise, challenge assumptions and work constructively with others to achieve better outcomes. They bring deep technical knowledge, but also patience, openness and a genuine commitment to collaboration.
I am equally fortunate to work alongside the Ipieca secretariat team. Their professionalism, enthusiasm and ability to bring together people from different organisations and backgrounds is one of the organisation's greatest strengths. Much of what Ipieca achieves is only possible because of their commitment and skill.
In many respects, that brings me back to what I learnt, perhaps without realising it, in those early days as a graduate.
Industries evolve.
Technologies change.
Priorities shift.
But progress ultimately depends on people.
Forty years after my first day in the industry, I remain convinced that the most valuable part of any career is the opportunity to work with talented people, learn from them and build lasting relationships.
It's certainly what I remember most.
