Amaar Mahboob Abdulbaqi, Asset Controller, KCA Deutec Drilling Company, believes that self-motivation and unrelenting desire to grow are the only way to achieve success in life
Amaar Mahboob Abdulbaqi majored in operations management from Sultan Qaboos University’s College of Commerce and Political Science. He started his career as a mechanic in a friend’s garage in 2008, learning skills on the job. Amaar then moved to work as a Dell promoter for ‘Just Below the Line’, a Dubai based company. The Oman operations was the company’s first branch to be set up outside Dubai and Amaar was the team lead.
He later shifted to Carrefour (MAF Group) as a junior supervisor in the office automation, heavy household department. Then he was simultaneously pursuing his studies. He graduated from SQU in 2013 and joined Oman Cables Company as a purchase officer, specialising in the sourcing of raw materials. He shifted to KCA Deutag Drilling and has been working with the company for almost two years and five months.
“I started working early in life as I wanted to have adequate work experience when I graduated. Unfortunately in 2010, I met with a car accident, which caused a one and a half year delay in my graduation, but my plan kept going and I was determined to continue with my studies and career,” says Amaar. A firm believer in the fact that learning never stops he has enrolled himself for an MBA at Majan College, which is expected to get over by the end of this year or early next year. He thinks that although he is an operations manager in business, an MBA would help him to grow and go into different sectors and positions.
Says Amaar, “I am good at adapting to an environment and different situations. As a junior supervisor and Dell Promoter I had a chance to meet people from different countries and was exposed to their mentality and thinking. As a person, I like to be in a challenging environment. My previous HR manager at KCA Deutag told me that since you are looking at challenges, we will put you in a place full of challenges.” Amaar was hired to be a purchase officer, but due to his insistence on taking up challenges, he assigned the role of an asset controller. In his present job, he is takes with doing an annual asset validation report which requires him to go to the various oil rigs for a minimum of four days every month to check all the equipment like accommodation, generators, well equipment, hand tool equipment etc. “On an average there are 1,400 equipment per rig and we have 10 rigs so I have to check almost 14,000 pieces, these are equipment that are in use, apart from these there are spares, which also need to be checked. I check and update them based on their location in our SAP ERP system, and it gets very detailed.”
Speaking about people who have left an imprint on him he says, “There are two main people who have influenced me in life: one is my father and the other is my uncle. My father is very social and friendly. He has friends from various countries. He thinks critically and deeply about things and I have inherited this from him. Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin said, ‘You should know that the root of your blessing is your father’, so what pleases you is from him and without him you will never be. My father Mahboob Al Lawati is my role model and I need many more years to reach his level. My Uncle Ali Jaffer Al Khabouri is the IT head project manager at Oxy Oman and to say that he is smart would be an understatement.” Ali taught Amaar the importance of taking up challenges and the virtue of acquiring knowledge
in different fields.
Looking ahead, he aspires to become an operations manager KCA Deutec Drilling Company over the next eight years. He also intends to become an entrepreneur and start his own business, as he does not want to depend on a single source of income. Secondly, he wants to provide financial security for his family.
Never stop learning
While he is upbeat about the prospects of Oman’s economy, he points out that a number of young Omanis lack personal motivation and are hesitant to face challenges. They do not realise that once they face these challenges, they will get a chance to grow in life. His advice for young Omanis is that they should never stop learning, whether it is academic learning or learning on the job. “One should never say that this is not my field or my job. In order to grow they should never wait for a responsibility to come their way, rather they should grab it as soon as they can, as this will shorten their growing up period. Omanis should never lose hope or motivation, as failure is a stepping stone to success.” He adds that some youngsters try once or twice and then they give up, but they should persist till they achieve their goals. They should realise that every failure teaches us something, enabling us to succeed. Failing is good because they can learn from it. He hopes that Omanis will keep going and will be determined to do better.
On NTI BizPro Awards, he says that it is a very good opening for young Omanis who are looking at getting a fair evaluation and using it for their professional growth. “I participated in the programme not for the sake of winning, but to know as to where I stand amongst these youngsters. The stage one and stage two of the programme are designed in such a way that one immediately gets to know one’s weaknesses, so you get the answers before you ask. Overall, one can strengthen oneself, by going through the process.” Given Amaar’s dedication, drive and work ethic, probably that won’t be needed.