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  • Writer's pictureMichael Padilla-Pagan Pay

CEO Libya Insights

Day 12th meeting with our customers in Libya. I am often asked why do I come to such places; the other question or statement is “aren’t you the CEO and Chairman of Al Thuraya?”. People seem genuinely surprised to see senior management executives on the ground! It seems that the idea of CEOs and Chairmen idling at fancy offices, swamped in paperwork has skewed the public’s perception of what CEOs are expected to do; but what I have learn from my military past is you lead from the front. 

In my civilian life, I follow that same principle but I am more customer-oriented than the average CEO. I belong to those very rare CEO and Chairmen who routinely get out and meet customers on their home turf – in Austere locations, on job sites, in their offices. For me the CEO has to set an example. Me and my team often visit our locations of operations and I want to see things for myself and I also want my senior executives to view and witness things first hand. That is the only way a practitioner can formulate an accurate perception of the situation, engage deeply, and then offer solutions that make a profound difference on the resilience and sustainability of the client’s business.  

 Before I go into more detail regarding Libya, let me address a few more questions. Some are wondering, how much or how far should a CEO go? What percentage of his/her day should be spent interacting with customers? For me it as much as fifty percent or even more. Motivating the front-line personnel is critical and a key to long lasting success is customer intimacy combined with our innovative solutions. For us, customer intimacy is a point of strategic differentiation, but also a defining factor in dealing with Social risk issues. It makes a difference when I can see what are the problems our customers are facing daily. In that way we can adapt and move faster than our competitors just by the mere fact that we are not managing issues remotely from the UK or USA, but from actually witnessing it on the ground and sweating like the rest of my team, in 45 temp with 98% humidity.

 So, Day 12 of my trip into Libya. I am always amazed coming back to this country, and enjoy visiting our offices, the people and the food.   I have been talking to some EU oil companies with regards to Libya’s security environment which presents significant challenges that prevent multinational oil and gas companies from safeguarding their operations and establishing business resilience and continuity. The inability of the Libyan government to provide effective security, increases the risk of attacks from terrorist groups, as well as insiders. We often become witnesses of the increased Social Risks compounding the problems stemming from regional terrorist threats, economic malaise due to decreased energy prices, and political instability regarding the future leadership of the Libyan government. The web of factors influencing the social, financial, and political context is so intertwined that it profoundly affects effective decision making on a strategic, tactical and operational level.

The only way to address the above issue, is through a provider that not only understands the realities of the situation, but can also project into the future with insightful analysis. ICESERVE24 solutions are the first step for understanding this nexus of threats and assisting our clients in navigating a complex environment of security challenges.

ICESERVE24 active intelligence platform: (1) creates autonomous indication and warning networks, (2) identifies threats to facilities, critical supply nodes, and transportation hubs, and (3) enhances existing security protocols. Through a state-of-the-art mobile application, clients can have real-time vetted information that enables them to address events as they unfold. Moreover, the range of customizable reports offered, can build awareness, enhance decision making, enable accurate and efficient forecasts, promoting growth and sustaining business even under the most challenging conditions. Engage us and learn about our services in Libya, Yemen, Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Uganda, and Congo as well as LATAM.


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