Six years shaping the Americas at IOGP: An interview with Wafik Beydoun
Over a six‐year period that many would regard as a corporate rite-of-passage, Wafik Beydoun served as IOGP’s Director for the Americas Region. Seconded from TotalEnergies in 2019, Wafik was dispatched to a landscape as diverse as it was complex—a region comprising 35 countries, with roughly 20 actively engaged in oil and gas production. His mission was clear yet formidable: to shape IOGP’s engagement with a multitude of regulatory regimes and industry stakeholders, and in doing so, to broaden his own perspective well beyond the confines of a single corporate interest.
At IOGP, Wafik discovered that secondment was not merely an administrative detour but a transformative experience, offering deep insights into industry-wide issues. “Being seconded to IOGP enabled me to step outside a narrow corporate lens,” he observes. The role honed his skills in advocacy, stakeholder management, and strategic communication – through regulator, policymaker, and industry leader engagements, he strengthened his professional network.
The role was not without its challenges. Initially as the sole full-time IOGP representative in the region—a post that had been created specifically for this purpose— Wafik started by mapping an energy landscape of considerable breadth and complexity. His initial work involved identifying key stakeholders, analysing disparate regulatory environments, and discerning which countries presented the greatest opportunities for impactful engagement. The strategy he and his team devised initially focused on the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Guyana, and Suriname, and was subject to annual review by the IOGP Board as policy and market trends evolved.
Resource constraints further complicated the picture. In a region where effective engagement requires both depth and reach, Beydoun had to secure additional support. This was achieved by forging collaborations with other IOGP directorates—most notably with colleagues such as Diana Khatun from the Safety Directorate—and by working closely with influential bodies like the American Petroleum Institute. The arrival of an additional team member, Alberto Castelli, in the summer of 2023 marked a turning point, significantly enhancing the operational capacity of IOGP’s Americas programme.
The tangible impact of these initiatives soon became evident. Under the Americas Directorate, IOGP organised up to eight dialogues between industry stakeholders and regulators in nations including Brazil, Mexico, Guyana, and Suriname. Furthermore, in 2024, discussions commenced on establishing an Americas Advisory Group (AAG), a move designed to provide IOGP members in the region with a more unified and influential voice. These efforts helped position IOGP as a central figure in driving industry alignment and promoting responsible energy development across a region characterized by its regulatory and cultural diversity.
To potential secondees, Wafik offers this advice: The opportunity is invaluable for gaining an industry-wide perspective and deep regulatory insight—attributes that few corporate roles can match. He emphasises the importance of remaining connected with one’s home organization, keeping abreast of internal priorities, and ensuring that the insights gleaned from external engagements can be effectively channelled into strategic corporate initiatives. A proactive approach, coupled with adaptability and clear communication, is essential in navigating the multifaceted challenges of such a role.
As he moves on from the IOGP secondment Wafik is sure that the lessons learned and networks forged during his time at IOGP will undoubtedly inform his next steps at TotalEnergies, where he is eager to apply his enriched understanding of global energy dynamics, and translate his experience into tangible strategic advantages at home, continuing to drive responsible energy development in an increasingly interconnected world.
