Fahad Al-Ahbabi / Commercial Manager
1. What is your position in GDI, and how long have you been working with GDI
I’m the Commercial Manager; directly reporting to the CEO, I’ve been working with GDI for the past 3 years. I am fully responsible for three sections that report to me – Procurement, Contracts and Warehousing.
2. Can you give us an idea about your educational and professional background?
I graduated in 1998, after completing my degree in Mechanical Engineering with honours from the United Kingdom. In the same year, I started my career with Qatar Petroleum. In 2006, I was promoted to be the Head of Procurement. In 2007, QP nominated me to my current position at GDI.
3. What is your normal working day like?
Every day there is a new challenge. My work day starts at 7 a.m. and continues until 3.30 to 5 pm normally. Since GDI is still a growing organisation, there are challenges and teething troubles.
A busy schedule routinely occupies much of the day, dealing with diverse issues and solving them. Direction and Control of Procurement, Contracts and Warehouse Activities, reviewing and approval of purchase Orders, contracts, other correspondence are daily tasks.
4. What are the main challenges that you face with your job?
The main challenges I face in my current responsibilities are mainly meeting the User’s specifications, project plan and budgeting. Then, tendering in a fair manner to ensure adequate competition throughout. That leads ultimately to delivering the required materials and / or services to meet User needs & deadlines is the ultimate goal.
5. What keeps you enthusiastic about your work at GDI?
When I see the appreciation and satisfaction from: both the in-house Users (GDI departments), and the external Users (GDI clients).
6. What do you enjoy the most in your work tasks?
I truly enjoy every minute of my job activities. If you ask me about the work tasks, of course, I would say the highest pleasure is when you deliver a task exceeding the target results prior to the target date.
7. What are the main things that have changed at GDI since you joined them?
Lots of things have changed and taken place since I joined. To name few, the rigs fleet (offshore and onshore) has expanded; crew and personnel are hired directly not through recruitment agencies anymore. One of the remarkable changes, the loyalty, the teamwork and confidence between employees and employer (GDI) are built up.
8. What are your hopes on the personal & professional level?
On the personal level, to set an ideal example as a Muslim. On the professional level, it is to partner with the team, to make GDI one of the best drilling contractors in the world. To be recognized not merely a QP subsidiary, but as a world class company due to its independent achievements and customer satisfaction.
9. How has GDI’s image developed through the years?
At first, when our internal policies and procedures were revised; it was taken into consideration the nature of business we work in and the drilling sector’s requirements and criteria. All the standards and specifications were set to meet the world class companies. The image started to develop from the time we decided to compete with the world class companies and reserve a seat for GDI.
10. What are the most important characteristics/aspects of GDI that your department team tries to convey through all their work?
Transparency and honesty, Adopt world class companies activities in the Procurement, Warehouse & Contracts. In addition to the enhancements and improvements in systems, policies, procedures and organisations is an ongoing process in order to be in line with global standards.
11. What do you like/dislike about Doha?
Being a Qatari; I like Doha so much. Doha has special features which can’t be found in the other capitals and cities; to be precise, the pollution free environment & crime free surroundings in Doha is really incomparable with the others, a sentiment shared by non-Qataris too. I can’t say dislike, but I am saddened to see old neighbourhoods and buildings which were the historic witnesses, have change and replaced with those long and thin buildings (Towers).