A Global Approach

By Sean Buchan, Vice President Europe, Middle East and Africa, Maxwell Drummond

According to RenewablesUK, 60,000 new recruits will be needed in the sector by 2020, whereas numbers of oil and gas industry workers are set to drop. Early findings of Maxwell Drummond International’s 2011 Annual Energy Survey support this: in the next fifteen years, unconventional gas and renewables are expected to overtake oil and gas as the most substantial contributors to the energy mix.

More than 440,000 people are employed in the UK energy sector.Industry debate is defined by segregated thinking of oil or coal or nuclear or renewables.Yet each discipline is increasingly interlinked. As a global executive search consultancy specialising in the energy industries, we have observed this trend person by person.Talented executives have found their expertise has a new currency, and this is just the beginning.Industries must start to share knowledge and experience, technology, business models, operations and maintenance practices.

There is a natural synergy between energy industry disciplines. Skills and project experience gained in the subsea and marine arenas will transfer well into offshore renewables such as wave energy, for example.There is an existing supply chain ready and waiting and there is a willingness from the offshore industry to transfer its capabilities into renewables.

Established oil and gas companies are beginning to take advantage of lucrative opportunities in the renewable sector, particularly offshore wind.But we need more, active, engaging collaboration to ensure top talent is prepared for this change.Search consultancies play an important role in pre-empting skills shortages, increasing awareness and providing solutions for business who may otherwise struggle.

For oil and gas companies who want to enhance their renewable offering organically, as opposed to venturing into acquisitions, hiring indispensible, top level talent can help.Renewable industry leaders can filter their knowledge and expertise down the organisation to promote internal learning.

Companies often move people from region to region, so why not also consider the transfer of skills between sectors and geographies?This will benefit the industry, individual companies and their employees.By implementing a cross-fertilisation of ideas worldwide, we can take the best parts of each offering and undoubtedly improve overall energy sector efficiency.

Imagine what could happen if we truly acted as a global energy industry, not as oil or gas or wind or wave? The future is bright.

About the author

Sean Buchan joined Maxwell Drummond as a Research Consultant in 2006 and was quickly promoted to Consultant where he worked on a range of senior projects across the Oil and Gas value chain for positions in Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, Southeast Asia and the Americas. In January 2009 Sean was promoted to General Manager for the UK and in 2011 became Vice President Europe, Middle East and Africa. He is now responsible for leading these regional teams and driving the consistent delivery of the firm's executive search projects.

Maxwell Drummond International is a world leading retained search consultancy offering professional search services to clients in all sectors of the energy and natural resources industries.