The eighth Women’s Global Leadership Conference in Energy & Technology (WGLC) was held November 15–16 in Houston and gave special focus to a topical theme—Energy without Borders: A Paradigm Shift in the Energy Industry. One of the largest women’s events in the industry, this year’s WGLC featured two outstanding keynote speakers, 19 unique presentations covering current events and professional development, and an exhibition area full of supporting organizations.
Day one of the conference opened with a keynote speech by Larry Dickerson, the President and CEO of Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., on the characteristics of international operations in the 21st century. Dickerson presented to attendees the idea that many of the changes in regulation and operation in the offshore industry have come about as a result of outside events, including industrial incidents and natural disasters. Courtney Lynch, founder of Lead Star, LLC, began day two with an enthusiastic and audience-driven session on leadership development. Lynch said, for her, being a leader was all about influencing outcomes and inspiring others; professionals of all experience levels can employ her techniques at work and at home.
In keeping with the 2011 theme, speakers covered a range of topics that each had an international element to them. Some focused on the global nature of doing business in the industry today, while others applied the same message to professional development issues. Jose Orlando Melo de Azevedo, President of Petrobras America, Inc., concentrated on the growing amount of action and interest in offshore Brazil, while David Payne, Chevron’s Vice President of Drilling and Completions, spoke to the potential of renewing operations in the Gulf of Mexico. There was discussion of how companies will continue to meet and adapt to regulations within the industry, sometimes through collaboration, while still maintaining a sense of competition.
On another note, several presenters tackled the subject of competition in the workplace, whether it concerned international relocation for career advancement, or the idea of becoming a technical expert in one’s field. As in past years, the WGLC offered attendees the chance to hear from solo presenters, as well as moderators and panelists.
The Gulf Publishing Events team is currently evaluating attendee feedback in order to develop an even better conference in the future. The next WGLC is scheduled for November 2012, with a one-day professional development workshop planned for March 2012.