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Key points made during interview with Maroot Mrigadat
President of PTT Exploration and Production
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Management
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As Chairman of PTTEP, Surakiart was a very
hands-on leader, and insisted on being involved beyond devising
policies for the company, on being there every step of the way
to put his ideas and those of others to practice. He was committed
to ensuring that policies actually got implemented, and was prepared
to get as involved as needed to assist management to overcome whatever
obstacles stood in the way of results. His approach to management was
extremely motivating for staff because he made them feel that each of
their contributions helped to improve the performance of the company
thereby instilling in staff a deep sense of pride for their work. |
Leadership
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Surakiart always looks for opportunities to help
and to lead - he has an insatiable appetite for problem-solving
and can quickly see through complex issues and pave the way
toward solutions with the help of others. When PTTEP had to
take over the operation of a field previously operated by a
transnational enterprise, he recognized the need for him to
intervene and help ensure that the transition would be effective.
To do this, he persuaded the private enterprise to remain involved
in the operation and train Thai staff during a transition period
to help support the work with their expertise. This was an
indispensable achievement because the characteristics of the
field would have been too complex to have been operated by
staff not properly trained in the applicable methods. |
Negotiation Skills
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Surakiart's key skill in negotiations is that
he listens to the other parties' point of view,
and he can be extremely attentive to their concerns
without either agreeing with them or disputing their
claims. PTTEP was involved in a complex dispute
that included private parties as well as the Government
of Myanmar, and was based on a take-or-pay contract
with whose terms PTTEP could not afford to comply.
The negotiations were already complicated, and they
soon became tense, so much so that noone thought
agreement could be achieved. Surakiart decided to
listen to the particular concerns of each party
separately to get a clear picture of how negotiations
might move forward. Having done this, he was able
to come up with a solution that everyone could agree
to. |
Earning Trust
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Surakiart knows that trust is difficult to earn,
and he understands that he can only earn trust if
he articulates his ideas clearly, carefully and
respectfully – this approach helps gain the
trust and respect of other parties, even if they
do not share his opinion. He is mild-mannered, respectful,
and has a great sense of humor – but he is
also determined, and speaks very clearly and precisely
about his views, using the right language at the
right time with the right people. I think his ability
to convey that he has thought hard about an issue
before conveying his reasoned opinion on it enables
him to earn trust even of those who disagree with
him. |
Thinking Outside the Box
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As Chairman of PTTEP, it would have been very
easy for him simply to pursue the work of his predecessor
– but he chose instead to change the internal
culture of the company and to instill in its management
an ambitious international vision. When he became
Chairman, PTTEP’s culture was focused on thinking
only locally, on expanding operations within Thailand,
on further exploring opportunities in the domestic
market. But Surakiart saw the potential for change
and decided that the company should arm itself with
the knowledge and ambition to go international,
to change its domestic-oriented culture into one
open to wider possibilities for investment. |
Developing Relationships
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Surakiart truly cares about cultivating strong
relationships and friendships with people, and bringing
out the best in people – he understands that
good relationships are key to addressing problems
more effectively in a collaborative spirit. He pays
close attention to details about those he meets
and has an excellent memory for them. This is very
important in contexts where there are no existing
channels to achieve new goals – such as giving
PTTEP an international outlook. He achieved this
largely through drawing on the skills of people
he had met in a variety of circles, including politics
– working together with staff at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, for example, to bring their
views to bear while developing a new culture at
the company. |
Personal/UN Candidacy
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Surakiart clearly sets objectives and finds the
means to achieve them with the help of all the relevant
players through both formal and informal avenues.
Even when dealing with difficult issues or parties
unwilling to cooperate, he continues to reason and
think with clarity and this ability to stay the
course earns him the respect of those he works with.
I think an Organization like the UN would greatly
benefit from his ability to see the many dimensions
of issues and his instinct for how to deal with
them effectively. |
Contact: Maroot Mrigadat
President
PTTEP Office Building
555 Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road
Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900
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