Edward Bawa says GOIL leadership transition has been smoother than expected

Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of GOIL PLC, Edward Bawa, says his transition into the leadership of the oil marketing company has been smoother than he initially expected. Mr Bawa said the supportive environment he encountered at GOIL, coupled with the staff’s commitment and the onboarding process, helped him settle into the role. He made the remarks while reflecting on his more than a year at the helm of the company during an interview on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday. “I think surprisingly, it has been a bit smoother than I expected. And I think it’s because of the people I came to meet,” he said. Mr Bawa said he joined GOIL with an open mind, having never led an oil marketing company before. He explained that even during his time as a Member of Parliament, he did not pay significant attention to GOIL’s operations.

“I came to GOIL with an open mind because it was my first time of going to lead an oil marketing company. I, even in my life as a member of parliament, did not pay so much attention to GOIL and what they were doing,” he said. That, he said, left him with “a bit of mixed feelings” before assuming the position. However, his experience changed after joining the company. Mr Bawa said the support from management and staff, particularly during his onboarding, made the transition easier than anticipated. “But when I got here, I realised that the environment itself was very supportive,” he said. “The period of onboarding that was done for me by my heads of departments was very useful. The staff themselves were ready to support me. ” The GOIL CEO said the level of support made the new industry feel surprisingly familiar. “And so, it appeared as if it was an industry I had already operated on for a long time,” he said. Summing…