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The Edinburgh Business School (EBS) welcomed two esteemed Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) alumni to campus on November 23 and 30, 2023, to present guest lectures. Mr Yogendran Nadaraju of SLB East Asia and Mr Vivekh Anand of Skye Renewables gave talks on their respective industries, giving students insights on navigating their career ventures.
The Importance of Understanding Risks
Mr. Yogendran Nadaraju's guest lecture touches on 'Risk Assessment and Mitigation in the Oil & Gas Industry.' He highlights that safety will always be paramount anywhere, especially in his line of work.
"Risk Assessment and Mitigation is everywhere. From waking up in the morning, driving to class or working in an oil rig, the general application of risk still exists," Mr Yogendran highlighted. “We already have knowledge of this from experience and intuition, but the important part is understanding the theories established to be able to work around the issue at hand efficiently.”
His lecture brought real-world accounts, allowing students to apply their theoretical knowledge to more tangible and realistic concepts.
Mr Yogendran earned his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) from the Universiti Tenaga Nasional Malaysia in 2005. He furthered his education with an MSc in Strategic Project Management from HWUM in 2018.
His wealth of experience and expertise of 18 years brought in an insightful and engaging session during the lecture. His professional journey has taken him across Southeast Asia, India, the Gulf of Mexico, and West Africa.
Currently working as the Supply Chain Manager and Sustainability Champion for East Asia at SLB (formerly Schlumberger NV), he effortlessly weaved in his international experience for aspiring learners looking to chart their career path.
Mr Vivekh Anand Sheds Light on the Solar Panel Industry
Mr Vivekh Anand talked mainly about the solar panel projects that he was involved in throughout his career. His topic is 'Synergizing Shareholder Engagement with Adaptive Change in Large-Scale Solar Projects.' He noted that every project will have distinct challenges, and adaptability is essential to overcome them efficiently.
He also highlighted the importance of transparency when managing the shareholders. Educating and managing the shareholders' expectations are top priorities in his line of work because, as an expert in the field, it is his responsibility that the people involved fully understand every step of the process.
Mr Vivekh gave the students some advice regarding time management and work-life balance. "I know you're all eager to get right on it, to switch your studying to a working mindset and to find a job as soon as you graduate. However, I strongly suggest that you take some time to adjust, maybe garner more peripheral skills and take a breather before stepping into the working environment because when you're involved in projects at work, you will be fully committed to them. Please try to find time for yourself first," Mr Vivekh expressed during his lecture.
Mr Vivekh is an alumnus of the MSc Renewable Energy Engineering programme (Class of 2018). His expertise in project engineering allowed him to synergise his skills and become successful in his line of work.
He is currently working as a Project Manager at Skye Renewables, a Singaporean solar panel service provider in a few Southeast Asian countries. He has managed projects from individual private homes to large-scale projects such as solar panel farms.
HWUM and EBS sincerely thank Mr Yogendran and Mr Vivekh for their time and enthusiasm in reconnecting with this institution to provide valuable knowledge to our leaders of tomorrow.