In the rough sea and high stakes world of offshore operations, the leadership is often associated with silver hair and decades of sea time. However, for Adiazizi, his journey from a fresh Chemical Engineering graduate to an Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) at Champion 7 proves that in the modern era of Orang Kitani talent, competence and humility speak louder than age.

The Fast Track Career

His story began in November 2012. Returning from University College London with MEng in Chemical Engineering, he joined Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP). While many graduates find their first few months daunting, Adiazizi arrived with portfolio of holiday interships that gave him an early taste of the industry.

He credits his rapid development to the structured layout of the Shell Graduate Program (SGP) and the Shell Advanced Technical Program (SATP). From a six-week intensive programme in Singapore to in-house training at BAPSLH, the foundation was laid. Yet, his true education began in March 2013, when he stepped on the EAST asset for the first time.

Earning The Right To Lead

“Alone, but not lonely”, is how Adiazizi describes those early offshore days. But as a young trainee, he faced a unique challenge: how do you lead technicians who have been in the field since the days before you even graduated?

Adiazizi chose a path with humility. Rather than relying on his title, he spent his hours in the field, asking the veterans to teach him. He proved he could stand on the same ground as them, earning the trust by demonstrating that he valued their experience as much as his own technical training. This bridge-building turned into a two-year commitment leading day-to-day activities through high-pressure turnaround.

Back to the HQ

By 2015, Adiazizi returned to Head Office as an Operation Support Engineer. This transition pulled him out of the day-to-day grit and into the “big picture” of BSP. Working alongside drilling, projects and turnaround teams, he began to see the massive scale of the business. He saw the need to balance growth with asset integrity.

Under the wing of local senior mentors and international technical coaches, he learned the art of “managing self”. By 2018, he had stepped into the role of Head of Programming for East Asset. It was here, while forecasting production decades into the future, that he realized the longevity and potential of a career within BSP.

The OIM Era

Nine years into his career, Adizizi was appointed as OIM for the East Asset - Champion North-South but based in Champion 7. Suddenly, he was responsible for the lives and safety of over 200 people. Leading a team where many team members were his seniors was initially daunting, but the relationship he built years prior became his credibility.

Adiazizi’s leadership philosophy matured during this time. He moved away from the traditional “command-and control” style (reserving it only for emergencies) and instead embraced open dialogue.

"I learned to accept that I do not need to have the answer to every single problem, as this kind of mindset could be a barrier to growth," Adiazizi reflects.

"My priority was the people under my umbrella. The people who work day and night to produce energy for the country. While I’m not the one who opens and closes the wells, my biggest task was maintaining the morale and safety of those who did.”

What’s next?

After four years at the helm of offshore operations, Adiazizi is stepping out of his comfort zone once again. As of June 1st, he returns to BSP’s Head Office as the East Maintenance Delivery Lead.

After a career spent in the Operations skill pool, he is eager to "put on the maintenance hat." Having seen the struggles of running aging assets firsthand, he aims to apply his operational knowledge to sharpen BSP’s maintenance strategy, ensuring the East Asset remains a cornerstone of Brunei’s production for decades to come.

A Message to the Next Generation

As he reflects on his journey, Adiazizi remains grateful for the community of like-minded Orang Kitani who continue to push the boundaries of technology and efficiency. His advice to those just starting?

"Take this journey head-on. These roles don’t just teach you technical skills – they provide a mirror to reflect on who you are. Embrace the growth, and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone."

When the Salam team settles into BSP’s Technical Director office, we’re met with framed quotes, a collection of rock specimens as well as trinkets from around the world. We are also welcomed with enthusiasm and smiles – and that is Mariana Omar in essence, the new BSP Technical Director.

Stepping into the role of Technical Director is neither a small feat nor responsibility. The directorate oversees extensive portfolios such as exploration, development, wells, digitalisation and technology, project and engineering, wells, and decommissioning a restoration. Central to shaping the directorate’s long-term strategy, Mariana’s new position sits at the intersection of leadership, people management, and decision-making – on top of the day-to-day technical challenges.

In this interview, Mariana shares insights into her day-to-day role, career journey, leadership philosophy and what it means to be the first local woman to hold this position.

A Career That Started by Chance 

Her path into the energy industry was unexpected.

“I wanted to study international relations, but when I applied for a scholarship, I was offered geology instead. At the time, I wasn’t sure – but it turns out to be the start of a career I never imagined.”

She began working offshore early in her career before moving into technical and leadership role both in Brunei and overseas.

“Each role taught me something different. Over time, I realised I enjoyed not only the technical work, but also helping teams work together and make smarter choices together. That naturally led me into leadership.”

Early in her career: Mariana at a rig blessing ceremony 

Stepping Into a Bigger Responsibility

When offered the Technical Director role, Mariana took her time to think before accepting.

“I asked myself if I was ready, and whether I could do justice to the responsibility. This role affects many people, and I take that seriously.”

Today, she leads a large and diverse organisation.

But the journey has only started for Mariana.

“My biggest challenge is ensuring everyone is aligned and supported so we can move the company forward together. I strive to energize, enable and guide the team towards the right actions that truly move the needle.”

Leading with Integrity

Her leadership style balances firmness with empathy.

“I lead with decisiveness, but also with openness. I’m not afraid to challenge the status quo, and I like to ensure transparency in my decisions, so people understand the reasoning behind them.”

Integrity is non-negotiable.

“Doing the right thing must come first – whether it’s about safety, cost, schedule, production, or people.”

And these values were shaped early in Mariana’s life.

“I grew up between two cultures, Chinese and Tutong Malay, in a humble family. Watching my late father progress from part-time construction worker to business owner, while also serving as a teacher, taught me the value of work ethic, authenticity, and respect.”

That authenticity helps her connect with people across the organisation.

“When you are genuine, people trust you. And trust is essential, especially when you don’t see every team every day.”

Mariana during her days as student at Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan

Breaking Barriers as the First Local Female Technical Director

For Mariana, the gravity of her position’s significance only sank in after the official announcement of her new role.

“I didn’t fully realise what it meant until I saw the reaction from others,” she says.

“As the first in my family to earn a degree, this achievement is very meaningful. I only wish my late father could have seen it.”

Working in a male-dominated industry never felt like a barrier, but it did require confidence.

“I grew up with brothers, and my parents believed girls must be independent. That helped me carry myself in this environment.”

She also believes progress has been made in the industry, but more can be done.

“Flexible policies, allyship, and leadership programs help, but we must also strengthen mentoring, partner with education institutions, foster cross-industry collaboration, and highlight women’s technical achievements to build female talent.”

She credits mentors, allies, and family support along the way.

“I’ve had people who challenged me, supported me, and showed what good leadership looks like. I’ve also had ‘character-building’ experiences that taught me what not to do. Both are valuable.”

Alongside her mentees at her "Mentoring Circle" session

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenges of working in a mature oil and gas basin, Mariana remains optimistic on what lies ahead. Challenges can be viewed as opportunities.

“One of our biggest tasks is finding new potential while optimising existing assets. Ageing infrastructure and rising global costs can make this difficult, but also exciting.”

But Mariana mentions that innovation will be key.

 “We need new technology, new approaches, and new thinking. This is our chance to innovate and reimagine how we work by pushing boundaries. “

When asked about the legacy she hopes to leave, her answer is simple.

“I hope my time as Technical Director will be remembered as a period where we made a difference – where we extended the life of our mature assets, strengthened our people, and prepared our company for a stronger future. If one day I can say I helped BSP move forward in a positive way, that would be enough.”

Mariana alongside her team during visits to onshore sites 

A notepad? No, a note app.

A letter? No, an email.

A cash transaction? No, a tap to pay.

The digital landscape is evolving at a lightning speed. While it may be tempting to be comfortable and stick to the known, adapting to technological advancements is crucial to survivability.  

For more than 90 years, Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) has played a central role in writing Brunei’s energy story. From pioneering Snake Wells and Smart Technology to introducing Ocean Bottom Nodes (OBN) and 3D seismic surveys, BSP has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation in the oil and gas industry.

And behind every technological breakthrough is a strong digital backbone.

In BSP, the IT infrastructure quietly connects onshore and offshore operations, enabling teams to collaborate, access critical data and work efficiently. In doing so, it supports the daily work of more than 3,500 employees who keep the company running – on land and at sea.

Keeping Up with the Time

While it was at a comfortable position, as the world moves rapidly towards cloud and mobile productivity, BSP knew it had to keep pace.

It was time to modernise its End User Computing (EUC), especially amidst growing concerns on current EUC setup around access to productivity tools, data, and applications on mobile devices – compounded by the rising annual cost.

This led to the launch of EUCare, a project focused on building an agile, secure and mobile IT environment that could support future business needs. The new programme also set to decrease reliance on low-value applications that was incurring cost.

But the project didn’t come without its challenges.

Where there is a need for onboarding, there also exist the need to offboard. This means ensuring that all end-users get a seamless transition from the old to new system, while ensuring minimal to no impact to critical business operations.

Immersion centre for the EUCare devices. Employees get to familiarise themselves with the new devices and get updated on new features at the centre.

Powering Productivity Across BSJV

With grit and planning, and within just three months, the team rolled out modern hardware to 4,155 Brunei Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) employees and 745 business partners across all operations. The project also reduced projected annual operating costs to USD 7.8 million. To further improve efficiency, the EUCare Self-Service Portal was introduced, offering a single platform for employees to access and manage all IT services.

Safety first - EUCare EUX engineers attend a site briefing ahead of the day's laptop deployment work.

The EUCare project is more than just a success story in upgrading hardware and software. Driving the transition were capable locals. The execution of the massive project was enabled by a diverse team of 60 interns, 57 IT focal points and 30 BSJV Company Site Representatives – all of which are Bruneians. The project itself was delivered alongside a fully Bruneian company.  

EUCare became the secure, dependable platform which provides access to essential IT services, ensuring that business runs smoothly with minimal disruption and downtime. Whether in the office, working remotely or even on site, the platform empowers all BSJV staff to stay connected, focused and productive.  

Strengthening connectivity and productivity - laptop deployment completed at remote site.

Developed in collaboration with other solutions partners, EUCare has improved cost efficiency, strengthened system reliability through cloud-based applications, and enhanced security. Just as importantly, EUCare has invested in people – supporting local talent while playing a meaningful role in the continued grow of Brunei’s IT ecosystem. 

“EUCare is proudly a locally developed partnership: we're proud of the major foundational milestone achieved so far and look forward to providing greater business value through our EUCare services with DMOS Technologies,” shared Hjh Sofi Umar, BSP’s Chief Information and Digital Officer.

Committed to excellence - local EUX engineers at the forefront of user support and deployment activities.