ABS, provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, led roundtable and panel conversations for more than 200 people at the Women in the Industry Sharing Experiences (WISE) event held in conjunction with the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston in early May.

“At ABS, we embrace diverse thinking and understand the positive value that differing perspectives can have on decision-making,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “Having our executives lead these crucial conversations is a testament to how we develop talent and illustrates why we have a strong voice in shaping the future of our industry.”

ABS Vice President of Marketing and Communications Cathy Mann led a power panel titled, “Stepping Up Without Stepping On: How to Grow and Bring Others Along with You.” Industry leaders discussed how their leadership styles have allowed their organisations and teams to grow. Panelists included Cris Gaut, Chairman and CEO of Forum Energy Technologies; Janeen Judah, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) President and General Manager of Chevron’s South Africa Business Unit; Susan Morrice, Co-Founder and Chairperson of Belize Natural Energy LLC; and Charles Sternbach, President-Elect of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and President of Star Creek Energy.

Marta Johnson, ABS Vice President of Ethics and Compliance, chaired several roundtable conversations on the subject of diversity and inclusion, bringing together dozens of industry participants to discuss “Creating a Team Environment with a Global Team.”

As a multinational and multicultural company, ABS has a long history of bringing together men and women with varied backgrounds, life experience and skills to create leading guidance for improved safety. The selection of ABS executives to lead these critical conversations underscores the organisation’s leadership role in diversity and inclusion.

Launched in 2010, the WISE event at OTC was expanded and elevated this year to a half-day program that comprised three sessions in which men and women discussed how diversity enhances the industry. Speakers and roundtable discussions focused on the value of a diverse environment, communicating across disciplines and leadership styles and how to leverage the value of different ways of thinking to deliver solutions for the energy industry.

Tags: ABS