Aligning career with personal values: Vijay’s story
Vijay describes bp as “a company that has mesmerized me throughout my life”, due to its values and behaviors, from health and safety, to respect and integrity
Vijay started his career at bp as a management trainee over 25 years ago and has since been able to enjoy a wide range of opportunities. However, it is the company’s values aligning so closely with his own which he feels has shaped his experience the most over his time with bp.
Vijay works as part of bp’s customer function, leading Global Business Services’ Asia’s Credit, Collections, Trade Loans, Accounts Receivables, Global Marine & Energy Customer Operations and Cash & Banking teams. Based out of the Kuala Lumpur office, Vijay leads a team of over 115 people who are directly accountable for more than 10,000 customers and who control and support external banking relationships with over 150 bank accounts.
Providing his team with direction as they connect operations and drive transformation through digitalization, Vijay says that his biggest achievement has been “building this team from scratch, giving them a purpose and value, instilling a sense of ownership, and making them proud of their own achievements.”
An inspiring set of values
Vijay describes bp as “a company that has mesmerized me throughout my life”, due to its values and behaviors, from health and safety, to respect and integrity. He says they give him “a purpose to be proud of and cherish.”
Having been inspired by leaders at bp who have encouraged him to demonstrate the company’s values and implement change, Vijay proactively seeks opportunities to pass this on to the next generation of bp talent. As a leader in GBS, Vijay feels proud to have helped build a team where they “respect and treat every member like family.”
Vijay devotes time to building individuals’ self-confidence, as well as coaching and mentoring. He feels this is important to bring out the best in people and collaborate effectively. “Today, they are regarded as one of the best teams by our business stakeholders,” he says.
Innovating and digitalizing GBS
Vijay sees bp’s digitalization as an exciting and important journey as the company transitions to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner. As an integrator, Vijay refers to GBS as “digital innovators” who are helping the organization modernize, automate and digitize ways of working for the future.
During this digitalization journey, Vijay sees GBS adding value by supporting bp’s data strategy, using advanced analytics visualizations to provide insights for better decision making. Having been given the opportunity to develop skills in a wide range of finance processes throughout his career at bp, Vijay is now encouraging his team to see the company’s digitalization as a learning opportunity.