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The Environment Committee gets a new manager

When Sureiya Pochee was growing up in Durban, South Africa, the oil and gas industry was part of her life. Her father was an engineer at the local refinery.

“The ‘bring your child to work’ scheme certainly had an impact on me as it allowed me to gain an insight into the oil and gas sector,” she recalls. “ The exposure of the community living on the fringes of a major oil facility, got me interested in the idea of what we now refer to as stakeholder engagement. From an early age, I became aware of how important transparency and good communications are in any major enterprise.”

Sureiya Pochee

Sureiya’s childhood experiences had a lasting influence, leading her to take a degree in Environmental Management.

What has brought her to IOGP? “I was doing environmental work for an engineering consultancy. And while the range of activities gave me good exposure to a wide variety of projects and locations – including major oil and gas projects – the consultant’s role had its frustrations. All you could do was give advice. Here at IOGP I see the opportunity to really influence and change behaviours and practices. A month in, I haven’t been disappointed. It’s great to see the Environment Committee and its task forces pulling together to achieve sound environmental objectives. A common goal is at the forefront of everyone’s efforts and that’s very encouraging.”

That being said, Sureiya recognizes the challenges as well.

“Because we serve such a large industry, with so many aspects to consider, what’s for the best isn’t always obvious. We have to go through rigorous review processes. While this sometimes means things take longer to complete, whatever is done is done right.”

Within the Environment Committee’s portfolio, Sureiya is particularly excited about the work of the Stakeholder Engagement sub-group within the Sound & Marine Life Subcommittee. “This covers everything from stakeholder mapping to engagement techniques and finding the best way to promote the Subcommittee’s work. While I can relate to that because of my previous roles, every day is a new learning experience as well.”

A relatively new Londoner, Sureiya is also enjoying the new experience of living in such a diverse metropolis. “Just the range of transport available is thrilling. Sometimes I opt to commute by crossing the Thames in a cable car – which provides a fresh perspective on familiar territory. Which you could also say about my new job at IOGP.”

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