How did your experience at Tulane influence your approach to leadership and innovation in the energy sector?
I was born and raised in New Orleans. For me, attending Tulane offered the ability to receive a world-class education while staying close to my family. Walking onto campus, even within my hometown, opened a new world for me, of different ways of thinking and a comprehensive approach to problem-solving. I honed my skills in respectfully challenging others to improve concepts and collaborating with peers from different disciplines. These rich experiences were the foundation of the leadership I embody today. It’s these same skills that I believe are vital to solving the dual challenge of meeting today’s growing energy needs while adapting the entire energy system for tomorrow.
Why is multidisciplinary collaboration important in advancing the energy systems of tomorrow?
Over the years, one thing that has become clear to me is that the energy industry’s most pressing issues cannot be solved in silos or by defaulting to our old ways of working. The complex and critical challenges facing our industry and our world require productive and ambitious collaboration from a wide variety of stakeholders and perspectives. I’m glad to say that since I joined Shell in 2003, there is now a greater appreciation for breaking down barriers across our functions and disciplines to work together to achieve our larger purpose. And our teams and businesses are better for it.
What is a misconception you think people have about the future of energy?
There’s a persistent false dichotomy about energy and how it will be consumed in the years to come. There is no doubt we need to aggressively decarbonize our energy system, and the future relies on our ability to do so. This energy transition will occur over multiple decades. A complete shift from fossil fuels over the next 5, 10 or even 20 years would be devastating to the way of life we enjoy today and cost-prohibitive for most people. Our focus should be on ultimate energy efficiency within our current energy system, for both consumers and producers. In parallel, we must continue to invest in mitigating emissions today, with options like Carbon Capture and Sequestration, and investing in renewable infrastructure for tomorrow. Hydrocarbon production and development are a vital part of today’s energy system, and our production from the Gulf has among the lowest greenhouse gas intensity in the world. We will always look for ways to further reduce our carbon intensity and improve the energy efficiency of our products and customer offerings.
What excites you most about the direction the energy world is heading?
For me, watching the new age of energy develop right here in New Orleans is extremely fulfilling. Whether it’s advancing the latest technologies, helping to uplift innovative entrepreneurs or preparing the future workforce, Southeast Louisiana is at the forefront of the energy transition, and there are limitless opportunities for our region that go along with that.
