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 up his experience, Mr Bawa described his transition as seamless.

“So, to just answer your question very simply, I think it has been good. The transition has been seamless, and the environment has been very supportive,” he said.

Mr Bawa, however, cautioned against attributing the smooth transition solely to the people within the company.

He said effective leadership also depends on the structures and policies that guide an organisation’s operations.

“So, I think there’s a combination of all. You see, you need people supporting you, that’s the human capital. That’s the most important part of it. But you also need the structures,” he said.

He added that clear policies are equally necessary to ensure consistency in how an organisation operates.

“And then you need to know what the necessary policies are underpinning even activities that are being done,” he said.

Mr Bawa said the combination gives employees clarity about what is expected of them and the structures available to achieve organisational goals.

“I think there’s a combination of just one: the people, the structures, and the principles underpinning your activities,” he said.