Mike
Career Profile
Growth and opportunity
If there’s one thing that motivates Mike at work, it’s knowing that diligence will pay off—which is how he felt when he was promoted to his current role as Sourcing and Supplier Leader at the Singapore Well Testing Center. “My managers have helped me set a clear career path for the medium and long term.” It helps, he says, that SLB is a highly objective-driven company. “I know, clearly, what is expected of me, which helps me to stay focused on my current role and to work toward the next rung of the career ladder.”
Mike joined the center’s Planning and Supply Chain organization after graduating from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering. His job involves recommending parts designers and suppliers to the engineering team and facilitating technical discussions to support new projects.
“I help enable new technology and products that will be introduced in the future. My job is to align our supply chain strategy with what is set forth from the highest levels of the organization. We leverage our global purchasing power to obtain the best quality, technology, cost and delivery from a pool of approved suppliers.”
Every day is challenging, says Mike. “I enjoy dealing with different problems at work from all aspects.” One of the ongoing challenges for a supply chain professional is building rapport with key suppliers. “It was a dilemma at the beginning, when I was learning to prioritize the company’s interests in a negotiation. I was grateful to be guided early on by my mentor.”
“I joined Supply Chain because it is a central function for the company. I want to continue growing within the organization and keep learning and leveraging new technologies to solve all sorts of challenges."
At his job interview in 2014, Mike was given two options: a Supply Chain role or a Quality Engineer position. “I did not hesitate. I knew I wanted to be in Supply Chain, and I still do! This is an exciting function in the company. I would like to stay in this domain to learn new technologies, and to solve different supply chain problems.” Ideally, says Mike, he’ll get to do that on a different continent, where he can learn about different product groups and supply chain contexts, and of course, experience the local culture and food!
Meanwhile, working in a small facility such as the Singapore center has its advantages. Multiple functions co-exist, from the physicists to the Finance team. “Operating in close proximity engenders ties of mutual respect and communication. This builds a foundation of unity and teamwork that celebrates everything from personal to center-wide successes. That motivates me to excel in my work.”
His work environment is somewhat like a family, says Mike. “There ought to be differences in opinion between departments. But thanks to teamwork and collaboration we can solve any challenge we face.”