Siti Hurrairah (centre) checking in with the offshore team.
SHELL discovered its first oil well on Canada Hill in Miri, Sarawak over one hundred years ago. Since the initial splutterings of liquid black gold, Shell Malaysia has consistently provided energy for the country.
Today, the company has expanded beyond its upstream activities, creating a wide range of products and, more importantly, building a legacy focused on its people.
In an industry where managing resources is crucial, strong and sensible leadership is vital.
Effective leadership ensures operations run smoothly, safety protocols are followed rigorously, and the company remains innovative and adaptive to the evolving energy landscape.
Leadership in transition
Leading this dynamic organisation is Siti Hurrairah Sulaiman, whose tenure comes at a pivotal time as the global energy landscape shifts towards sustainability and low-carbon solutions.
Her role as Shell Malaysia’s country chair – first female, no less – in addition to her role as senior vice president for the Upstream business in Malaysia, is crucial in ensuring Malaysia’s operations contribute significantly to the company’s strategic objectives.
Since 2023, under her stewardship, the company has been navigating the complexities of maturing oil fields and evolving market demands with agility and innovation, evident in projects like the Sarawak Integrated Sour Gas Evacuation System (SISGES).
This joint initiative with PETRONAS harnesses Sarawak’s significant sour gas reserves which will enhance local and national energy stability while reducing dependency on imports.
Siti Hurrairah emphasises resilience and innovation in the energy sector.
Such projects position Sarawak as a leader in handling sour gas, which contains high hydrogen sulfide levels and presents unique processing challenges.
Her career within Shell reflects her deep engagement with both the operational and strategic dimensions of the energy industry. After graduating as a mechanical engineer, she held roles in development, planning, commercial and strategy, gaining a foundational understanding of its operations.
Her international experience includes a stint in Shell UK as a development planner and economist, supporting the exploration team and further refining her strategic planning skills.
Upon returning to Malaysia, she led the economics and planning group in Shell Malaysia Upstream and later managed commercial projects.
These roles were pivotal in developing her ability to guide business growth.
In 2011, she became the first female Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Limited asset manager and director, managing a team of over 350 personnel in complex operational environments.
Her focus shifted to the business side of operations when she was appointed commercial operations general manager in Shell’s Trading and Supply business in London in 2015, managing a team of 670.
By 2020, she held vice president roles in Integrated Gas Ventures East and Technical Asset Operations, gaining a comprehensive view of the company’s global operations and functions, enhancing her strategic acumen.
Future fuel
Shell Malaysia continues to explore innovative projects that align with the company’s sustainability goals.
Initiatives such as the solar-powered wellhead platform at the Gorek field and the Timi platform, powered by a solar and wind hybrid system, exemplify the company’s efforts to deliver more value with less emissions.
Siti Hurrairah underscored Shell’s commitment to sustainability, explaining that the company’s purpose is to provide more and cleaner energy solutions.
“We will do this while profitably transitioning Shell to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.”
Shell’s global strategy, Powering Progress, guides this transition, recognising that different countries will progress at varied paces based on local conditions.
In Malaysia, the National Energy Transition Roadmap supports this by emphasising the continued importance of oil and gas, projected to comprise a significant portion of the country’s energy supply by 2050.
Shell’s role in this transition is threefold: as an energy user, aiming for net-zero emissions, as a provider, ensuring stable energy supply and as a partner for change, balancing the use of hydrocarbons with sustainable practices.
In addition to technological advancements, Siti Hurrairah emphasises partnerships with the Malaysian government and PETRONAS, pivotal in addressing climate change and exploring carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
CCS is a critical component in reducing carbon emissions, it captures carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources and stores them underground, preventing them from entering the atmosphere.
She recognised CCS as a crucial technology for the energy transition, helping to balance the continued need for hydrocarbons while moving towards a lower-carbon future.
Implementing CCS can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing operations, supporting Malaysia’s target to become carbon neutral by 2050. “The mutual understanding of what it takes to make the hydrocarbon industry work is what will keep Shell a key partner for Malaysia,” she asserted.
By positioning Malaysia as a regional carbon storage hub, CCS can attract foreign investment, create high-quality job opportunities and drive economic growth.
The Rosmari-Marjoram gas project also exemplifies Shell’s efforts in sustainable energy.
Powered primarily by renewable energy, with its offshore platform utilising 240 solar panels, it is set to ensure a sustained gas supply to domestic and liquefied natural gas (LNG) customers, furthering Shell’s commitment to delivering secure and reliable energy.
Empowering the next generation
Siti Hurrairah’s remarkable journey at Shell has been defined by her ability to adapt, thrive, and inspire in a constantly evolving energy landscape. Her leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in trust, connection, and inclusion –values she believes are essential for building resilient, innovative teams.
“Leadership to me is rooted in trust, connection, and inclusion,” she said. “Building trust starts with connecting on a personal level, not just a professional one.”
This approach has enabled her to foster cohesive teams that navigate challenges with agility while driving innovation in the energy sector.
Beyond leading her teams, Siti Hurrairah is a passionate advocate for mentorship, actively nurturing the next generation of leaders. Her strategy includes creating opportunities for young talents, providing structured support, ensuring visibility within the organisation and offering global experiences to broaden their perspectives.
As such, she continues the NXplorers programme, designed to inspire young minds to think critically and develop sustainable solutions to global challenges.
Since its inception, Shell NXplorers has benefitted over 20,000 secondary school students and more than 1,000 tertiary students across the country.
The programme encourages students to explore issues, create innovative ideas and implement practical solutions.
She shared a notable success story of three SMK Bintulu students who developed an Internet of things (IoT)-based smart parking system, EZ Park.
This helped drivers find parking more efficiently, thus reducing time spent searching and minimising greenhouse gas emissions.
Their innovation not only won the Shell NXplorers Malaysia Grand Final 2022 but also received global recognition, leading to an invitation to visit the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the USA.
“By investing in their growth, I aim to create leaders who are not only effective but also empathetic and inclusive,” she explained.
This commitment reflects her belief in nurturing a new generation of leaders equipped to tackle the complex challenges of the future.
Reflecting on her experiences, Siti Hurrairah offered advice to women entering the oil and gas industry: “Stay curious and adaptable.”
She emphasised the importance of resilience and authenticity, noting that while the industry can be demanding, it is equally rewarding.
“The challenges you face are opportunities to make a meaningful impact,” she said, underscoring the value of perseverance in this dynamic field.
As Shell Malaysia navigates the complexities of the modern energy sector, Siti Hurrairah’s leadership is poised to steer the company towards a sustainable future that balances present needs with long-term goals.
