Breaking Barriers for Women in AD
Over the past three years (2022–2024), data from the People Survey has highlighted important insights about the experiences of women within the Asset Directorate (AD) in Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP). While the Directorate strives for excellence in every technical metric, female colleagues have shared experiences that suggest there is still more that can be done to strengthen inclusion, belonging, and the day-to-day employee experience across the organisation. While progress has been made in many areas, these recurring themes encouraged the Directorate to pause, listen more deeply, and better understand the experiences shaping women’s everyday working lives.
The Daily Dilemma
Alongside delivering strong performance, many women in the directorate quietly carry an additional layer of emotional and mental pressure that rarely surfaces in formal conversations or performance discussions. Behind the confidence and capability seen day-to-day are moments of hesitation, self-questioning and the constant balancing of expectations.
Some shared that they hold back from speaking up or pursuing opportunities due to concerns about how their credibility or readiness may be perceived. Others spoke about uncertainty around career progression, visibility, and whether expectations or judgements are applied differently.
For many, these pressures become even more pronounced during life stages such as motherhood, where balancing career growth alongside caregiving responsibilities can bring an added mental and emotional load. While often invisible, these experiences shape how many women navigate, confidence, growth and opportunity at work.
Turning Insight into Action: From Awareness to Allyship
Recognising the issue, the Asset Directorate had a mission – they had to ensure that inclusion is reflected not only in intention, but also in everyday experiences and behaviours. To address these systemic issues, a structured journey was launched focusing on themed discussion and active allyship.
This journey began by creating psychologically safe spaces for women to name their dilemmas—specifically the five themes of Mental Load, Imposter Syndrome, Motherhood, Comparison, and Fear/Guilt. However, a critical shift occurred when these insights were brought to male leaders.
Led by credible peers like Izwan Tarip, West Production Operations Manager and Syahmi Shadan, Head of IAPS, these facilitated sessions helped create open and honest conversations across leadership levels - “Awareness brings acknowledgment” highlighted by Izwan Tarip.
The result was a powerful "aha" moment where male leaders reflected on perspectives and experiences they may not have previously considered and, in a move of accountability, requested follow-up sessions to keep the dialogue alive. Syahmi Shadan shared “Continue to have genuine conversations with our women colleagues. Listen to their experiences, understand the challenges they face, and learn from their perspectives. When we lead with empathy and work together, we build a stronger organisation where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Building the next generation of women leaders is not the responsibility of women alone, it is a shared responsibility for all of us.”
Solving the Gap: Success is a Lived Experience
Meaningful progress will come not only through policies, but through consistent everyday leadership behaviours. The Directorate is working to create a culture where visibility, opportunity, and support are experienced more equitably across teams.
Leaders are being encouraged to recognise and address the “invisible workload” that women often carry, ensuring coordination and emotional labour are acknowledged rather than quietly absorbed. There is also a growing focus on creating space for women to contribute confidently, where perspectives are actively heard, recognised and built upon.
At the same time, flexibility is being normalised through more open and proactive conversations around life stages, caregiving responsibilities, and the realities employees may be balancing outside of work.
Continuing The Momentum
Rather than waiting for future survey results alone, AD aims to continue building momentum through ongoing conversations, reflection, and practical actions. Trust is built in the "small" moments: when a leader challenges a stereotype in a talent discussion or when a manager checks in on a team member’s mental load.
The door has been opened for more honest conversations, deeper understanding, and stronger allyship across the Directorate.
“As a Female, never underestimate the impact of your voice, your expertise, and your courage. We have come far, but there is still more ground to break. Keep challenging norms, pushing boundaries, and showing what is possible. Support one another, lift others as you climb, and create opportunities for those who follow. Every door we open makes the path wider for the next generation. I leave with full confidence that you will continue to challenge limits, inspire change, and prove that no role is beyond our reach. The journey continues— own your space and shape the future” shared by Elohor Juliana Aiboni, Asset Director of BSP.
The Quest for ISO 27001 Certification
At Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP), we have vast data and information in running our day-to-day business. Information is more than just an asset; it is a critical element in decision-making, communication, innovation, and the achievement of business goals. It is fundamental to a company’s existence, but in an era of sophisticated cyber threats, a challenge is imposed to every organisation out there: how prepared are we when it comes to protecting our data and information?
Safeguarding our data isn't optional, it’s essential and this is the story of our journey towards ISO/IEC 27001 (International Organization for Standardization) certification. For us, this journey is about more than hanging a certificate on the wall; it is a catalyst to transform how we manage risk and embed security into our daily work culture. It required us to bridge the gap between three essential pillars: People, Process, and Technology.
From Conversation to Certification
A simple conversation in 2023 became a trigger to a series of actions:
“Are we doing enough to protect what matters most?”
The honest discussion quickly turned into intent. With full endorsement from the IT leadership team, a green light was granted for BSP to pursue ISO 27001 certification. But this was no feat for an individual, it required the full collaboration from the business from one end to the other.
What followed was a year of transformation that broke down departmental silos. This wasn't just an "IT project"; it became a common language spoken across different directorates. The project brought together risk owners, process stakeholders, and experts from every corner of the organisation.
The road wasn't always smooth, there were intense audits, rigorous milestones, and those inevitable moments of uncertainty. But with every challenge came a new level of clarity. BSP did not emerge with just a certificate, but with a stronger, more aligned team that views security as a shared responsibility.
“When we decided to pursue ISO27001 certification, we were aware that its process and journey weren't going to be straightforward. We accepted it as a learning journey worth going through as we were keen to understand our strengths as well as our developmental needs. We weren't looking to seek perfection. As a learning organisation, ISO27001 certification allows us to continuously improve our capabilities in an external benchmarked and structured process,” Shared Hjh Sofiah Umar, BSP Chief Information and Digital Officer.
Why This Certification Matters
Achieving ISO 27001 was a proud milestone, but the true value isn’t the certificate itself—it’s the resilient foundation that was demonstrated by the people involved. Today, the company didn’t only walk away with just a credential, it gained:
Perhaps most importantly, there was a shift on the overall culture and attitude on information security – it was no longer an "IT problem”, it’s a shared responsibility that all carried.
Kenneth Tew, BSP Head of Information Risk Management (IRM) and Cybersecurity, stated that ISO 27001 taught everyone that security isn’t a department; it’s a relationship build and promises made together to manage the known risks.
“The most valuable part of ISO 27001 was learning to be honest with ourselves and the moment everyone starts feeling responsible, the journey becomes easier.” He further shared.
It Takes a Village (and a Lot of Audits)
This certification marks an important milestone in the company’s journey towards operational excellence and information security. More than a testament to compliance, it reflects the organisation’s growing professional maturity and unwavering commitment to setting high standards across every aspect of its work.
This was a massive, collective lift that often happened behind the scenes. It took countless hours of brainstorming, cross-departmental coordination, and securing the buy-in needed to move such a large ship in a new direction. The journey was demanding, but it revealed a heartening truth: When something is good for the organization, our Orang Kitani rise to the occasion.
From every directorate and department, people stepped forward to lend their expertise. This achievement belongs to everyone who helped foster a culture of accountability and excellence.
“When we started ISO27001 journey, we thought we were building a framework. What we didn't expect was how much it would shape our mindset, our discipline, and the way we work together. Getting certified was the goal but becoming a stronger, more resilient, and security-conscious organization, that was a real reward and true transformation,” shared Mahdiana Mahmud, Senior IRM Advisory Lead.
The Road Ahead
If you think of certification as a finish line, think again. In the world of security, it’s actually the starting blocks.
ISO 27001 is a "living" standard. It requires us to stay curious, stay vigilant, and constantly refine our systems. As technologies shift and threats evolve, so must we. Our real success won’t be measured by the day we received the certificate, but by how we sustain this momentum—embedding security into every decision we make and every project we launch.
Looking back, the pursuit of ISO 27001 was never just about compliance. It was about asking the difficult questions, building a stronger foundation, and holding ourselves to a higher standard of excellence. And that is a journey truly worth celebrating.
“I'm very proud of the strong collaboration between our business stakeholders and our team, which was instrumental in achieving this certification. More importantly, the certification is not an end in itself, but a platform that enables us to further strengthen our cybersecurity capabilities and build lasting credibility” Hjh Sofiah Umar added.
The Rise of a Modern OIM
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."