Srividhya Vaidyanathan

Navigating Profitability in the Energy Sector: The Path Forward word of wisdom from finance leader to executives The profitability of an energy PSU hinges on a complex interplay of factors that influence the bottom line, including crack refinery margins, marketing margins, inventory carrying costs, and the strategic location of refineries. Additionally, profitability is closely tied to market share, sourcing of crude, and the composition of the crude basket, product mix all of which are subject to geopolitical shifts and dynamic market conditions. One significant challenge is the competition posed by private refineries, which leverage their flexibility to adapt quickly to market opportunities. This often reshapes the market landscape, pressuring PSUs to be equally nimble while balancing public mandates with profitability goals. The Power of Team Synergy To succeed in this environment, teamwork across the corporation is essential. Each department—from refining to marketing, procurement, and logistics—must work in concert to create synergy that maximizes operational efficiency. When everyone contributes actively, aligning their efforts toward cost optimization and infrastructure building, the collective impact magnifies, fostering resilience and a competitive edge. Emphasizing Responsibility and Pride Every individual within this ecosystem plays a pivotal role. Recognizing their importance and fostering a sense of pride in their contributions builds commitment and responsibility. This culture of shared accountability strengthens our collective focus on cost control, process improvement, and market expansion, which are crucial to staying relevant and profitable. Our Dedication Defines the Future As we look to the next decade, our commitment to strategic planning and disciplined execution will define our path. By building on our strengths and adapting to market shifts with agility, we can sustain and grow our market share, setting the foundation for future success. With a unified approach, the energy PSU can not only enhance its profitability but also contribute to national energy security and economic growth. #oilindustry #energyofindia #energysector #spreadingsmiles

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Great exchange with a family-owned business group in India! It's time to embrace sustainability and transform the way you do business. 🌿 In today's world, sustainability is not just a buzzword – it's a crucial aspect of responsible business practices. By adopting sustainable initiatives, family-owned businesses can reduce their environmental impact, cut costs, attract environmentally conscious customers, and create a positive legacy for future generations. Embracing sustainability isn't just about doing what's right for the planet; it's also a smart business move. It can lead to long-term cost savings, improved brand reputation, and a competitive edge in an increasingly eco-conscious market. Looking forward to work with many of you as exchanged in the networking discussion💚 #SustainableBusiness #FamilyOwned #PositiveImpact Campden Family Connect Shweta Desai Anuj DuggalKiran Sarkar Mukund Rajan

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Macroeconomic conditions can significantly impact total shareholder returns (TSR) across the energy sector.    As per the graph below from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), factors such as higher inflation, volatile commodity prices, and changing policy and regulatory dynamics have impacted performance across clean energy, oil & gas, and power & utilities from 2019-2024.   Given that the energy transition requires trillions of dollars in investment this decade, strong TSR is going to be another critical factor in delivering a successful energy transition.    However, this will be no easy task, as macroeconomic conditions will continue to fluctuate throughout the energy transition. Follow the link below to read more on the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) analysis 👇 https://shorturl.at/rwdEX   #energytransition #netzero #capitalallocation #shareholders

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The government has set up a joint working group to boost the oil and gas business environment to align with India's long-term vision of becoming a global hub for refining and increasing investment opportunities across the value chain, starting with Upstream Exploration and Development. This initiative by Hon'ble Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri aims to foster further opportunities for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Check out the details here: [Link to the article] 🛢️🇮🇳 #OilandGas #AatmanirbharBharat #InvestmentOpportunities #ExplorationAndProduction

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It was great attending the Renewable Energy India Expo 2024 and The Battery Show India with the Wood Mackenzie analyst team and Alex Whitworth, who led the CEO and CTO conclave, discussing #India’s energy transition. Thanks to the Informa market team for inviting Wood Mackenzie as a knowledge partner! India’s renewable journey is at an exciting crossroads, and here are my key observations: Manufacturing & Supply Chain: India’s solar module manufacturing capacity is nearing 70 GW, with more companies venturing into module and cell manufacturing to reduce imports. However, the price difference remains stark, with Indian cells at 14-15 cents/Wp vs. China's cheapest being at 5-6 cents/Wp (Numbers could be rangebound). Additionally, India’s manufacturing still heavily relies on foreign tech, and there's less push for domestic production of power electronics and ancillary equipment under the PLI scheme. Calls for international technology transfer (ToT) were strong. Grid Infrastructure: Grid development continues to lag behind renewable generation growth. This issue is unlikely to be fully resolved soon, with concerns that transmission infrastructure won't keep pace. Due to industry scepticism about transmission growth, hopes are on accelerated battery storage deployments, distributed solar, and on-site hybrid power plants. Policy Framework: ALMM and the approved list of cell manufacturers under consideration promote local production. Still, developers fear limited capacity and higher domestic module and cell costs may drive them out of business. State-level policy inconsistencies and delayed implementation are causing challenges, with some states offering high ease of doing business and others creating barriers. More state-level bidding mandates were recommended to reduce the pressure on central tenders. Technology Advancements: Manufacturers are shifting towards advanced technologies like Topcon and also HJT, but concerns were raised about India being a technology follower rather than a leader. There’s a strong chance India could adopt Topcon completely by 2026-27, but by then, it may be outdated in other markets, delaying India’s cost competitiveness in domestic manufacturing. Despite these challenges, it's clear that India is on a promising path to becoming a renewable energy leader (Already is!). With continued focus on technology, policy, and infrastructure, the future of India's renewable growth would play a pivotal role in the global energy landscape! Note: Views are personal. #RenewableEnergy #IndiaEnergyTransition #REIExpo2024 #BatteryShowIndia2024 #CleanEnergy

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I'm thrilled to be part of this vibrant community and learn from esteemed mentor Rakesh Rana♟️. The energy and insights gained today have been transformative. Stay tuned for more updates from this incredible retreat! #LeadershipTrends: Stay updated on remote work, AI, and diversity. #SkillsandStrategies: Learn new techniques for team motivation, conflict management, and decision-making. #Inspiration: Gain motivation from successful leaders' stories. #Networking: Connect with professionals from various industries. #RenewedPassion: Rekindle your enthusiasm for leadership. Leadership summits are invaluable for learning from experienced leaders, networking with other professionals, and staying current with the latest leadership trends.

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Friends, I want to share my experience and learning from attending and presenting at the 8th Global Summit on Process Safety held on November 25-27th, 2024, at Mumbai, India's prestigious Jio World Center. To my knowledge, about 550 delegates representing various independent consultants, private corporations, and critical government bodies from India and overseas were present. The main sponsor for the summit was Reliance Industries Ltd. This summit was exceptional compared to various conferences, summits, and symposiums I have attended in the US and Europe over the past 30 years. The execution on the ground reflects the immense cooperation, dedication, and efforts that were put in place. The dignity and respect for every detail were evident. This is reflected in the selection of papers to be presented and the presence of various keynote speakers from varied national and international expertise. The summit was in two parts. The first part, the pre-conference workshop, was held on 25th November for the whole day for a separate fee of $100. The idea was to have subject matter experts (SME) open the conversation on crucial Process Safety areas and allow the participants to reflect and interact. The topics included PHA - what a good looks like, MOC, Walk the Line, and Incident Investigation. It was very well received. About 60 participants representing various organizations, including overseas, benefited from this dialogue. The next day, day 1 of the conference, November 26th, began with the traditional Indian Lamp lighting ceremony and Shri Ganesh invocation. The following two hours included addresses by two critical speakers from HPCL and Reliance Industries Ltd. Following this, the VP of BP HSE, Dr. Fawaz K. Bitar (Too Safe to Fail?), and Stephen Klejs - Executive Director, US Chemical Safety and Hazard and Hazard Investigator Board "Improving Process Safety Through Lessons Learned" spoke on major/catastrophic incident prevention strategies. The rest of the day after the panel discussion included 27 presentations under three tracks. Day 2 format was similar to day 1, with an impressive lineup of Keynote speakers followed by 21 presentations under three tracks. My presentation on "Safeguards" was on day 2 under track 3. In my next post, I will share my take on the conference I attended.

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We need to keep pushing support for #AWWAinDC efforts in Congress to get a new Water Risk and Resilience Organization established to develop and enforce cybersecurity requirements for drinking and wastewater systems. This is a rare case in DC where adding something new will add a lot of value. It is bipartisan and the sector wants it! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/evQndTcg #industrialcyber #criticalinfrastructureprotection #drinkingwater #wastewater

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Guidehouse helps maximize the impact of Inflation Reduction Act investments to ensure equitable outcomes, building physical, social, and economic resilience for the communities that need it most. Learn how your organization can leverage this momentous opportunity. Guidehouse ES&I

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Thanks Ketan and Konverge.AI team for the discussion. #GenerativeAI #digitaldisription

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pls share in your network and support the nomination! #Coaching #LeadershipCoaching #ExecutiveCoach

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SenseMaking for Leaders Leadership is about navigating complex landscapes, and making sense of the myriad signals is a leader's imperative. This article explores Nitin Nohria's "Reactive Management Framework" and introduces a fresh perspective on sensemaking. Key Insights: 👉 The Reactive Management Framework: Understand Nitin Nohria's framework, dissecting signals, and predicting their potential development over time. It's a strategic lens for leaders in the ever-changing business environment. 👉 Multiple Filters Approach: Explore an alternative perspective with a four-step process: 1. Relevance: Align incoming information with team goals. If irrelevant, assess if it opens new avenues for exploration. 2. Impact: Estimate the positive or negative impact on existing goals. Categorise accordingly for further attention or watchlisting. 3. Time Sensitivity: Gauge the urgency to act. Immediate, days, or weeks? Schedule responses to avoid missing critical opportunities. 4. Act or Delegate: Decide if personal response is crucial or if delegation is more effective. Develop leadership by empowering team members. 🔍 In Conclusion: Leadership demands a systematic approach to sensemaking. Whether using established frameworks or adopting a bespoke strategy, the goal is to be methodical, not miss critical signals, and be open to discovering new opportunities. #LeadershipInsights #SenseMaking #StrategicLeadership

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The bill for achieving net zero will total into the trillions of dollars. Someone somewhere has to pay for new infrastructure, new technologies, research and development. But who should it be?   During the Baker Hughes Annual Meeting 2024, esteemed panelists discussed the pressing need for innovative funding models that will meet the disparate needs of economies across the globe and assessed what is needed to bolster investor confidence and stimulate cash flows to transition projects.  Watch the highlights video below and visit our #BHAM2024 proceedings page to learn more: https://lnkd.in/d9TWYpEY   #BakerHughes #EnergyPolicy #EnergyTechnology #WeAreBakerHughes #EnergizingChange

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Happy to share our exclusive report, on "Managing energy transition risks", published by EPR Magazine, in its special Nov 2024 issue, co-authored by me with Mr. K Ramakrishnan and Soubhagya Parija. The report delves into managing energy transition risks while shifting from fossil fuels to low-carbon sources to address climate change and energy security. The report emphasizes the importance of comprehensive risk management strategies to tackle the challenges of energy transition, e.g. economic and financial, policy and regulatory, social and environmental, and technological. The report also highlights new opportunities in energy transition, such as hydrogen, biofuels, and EVs. The authors recommend an integrated approach to proactively identifying, assessing and prioritizing the risks of energy transition and adopting timely mitigation strategies such as stakeholder engagements, portfolio diversification, scenario modeling, and integrating ESG metrics into risk management practices. Your comments are welcome. EnTruist Power Himadri Banerji Praveen Kumar Agarwal Dr. Vijai Singhal Balkrishn Kamath Sara Ricci #EnergyTransition #NetZeroEmissions #RenewableEnergy #GreenHydrogen #Biofuels #EVs #Decarbonization #Sustainability #ESG

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The growth of renewable energy and energy storage technologies is also dependent on the sourcing and supply of minerals for production. Production of clean energy should take into cognizance the carbon footprint across the supply chain including mining, transporation and manufacturing. This article will find resonance with #EnergyTransition (#RES, #GreenHydrogen, #EV), #RenewableEnergy (#Solar, #Wind, #Biomass) and #Sustainability think tanks. EnTruist Power EPR Magazine Renewable Energy Experts Clean Energy Access Network Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)

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Recently published alert by Rystadenergy "Indian Refinery Runs to rise by 8% in Oct 2024" analyses some key focus areas as mentioned hereafter. Global refining sector is under pressure due to demand decline, depressing margin and geopolitical situations. Despite these challenges fuels growth in India is in + zone. The refinery runs in India are on rising trajectory post turnaround and upcoming festive seasons. In addition to that major turnaround in Europe provide another boost to export from the country which have been in continuous decline since Jan 2024. Indian refineries utilized the maintenance seasons in Russia for building up feedstock @ discounted rates along with import of dirty oil. Rystadenergy expect that by end of Q4 India will see significant growth in refinery runs taking advantge of feed supply as well demand opportunity. To get peak into #RystadEnergy's deep analysis by expert analysts Sambhav Grover Pankaj Srivastava please sign-up for the oil-trading signals. https://lnkd.in/gKm_AM-2

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Excited to share the techno commercial collaboration between Shell and COAC in the realm of AI-driven asset integrity for energy assets at Shell and worldwide by taking to the market Smart Equipment Passport (SEP) AI technology. True collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and cutting-edge AI technology is transforming the way we manage critical energy assets. Our recent success story demonstrates how expertise combined with AI innovation drives proactive maintenance, optimizes asset performance, and reduces risks and downtime. This AI technology empowers participants to decide and share information along the inspection process, facilitating real-time updates. Intelligent algorithms harmonize data from diverse sources, creating a unified dataset accessible to all. SEP goes beyond by enabling smart integrations into various systems, bridging the analog and digital realms through data matrix codes on equipment. A notable achievement is SEP's 95% accuracy in digitizing P&IDs at Shell refineries, showcasing its efficacy in delivering precise and efficient solutions. It's a journey showcasing the power of people, technology, and data working together towards a safer, smarter, and sustainable energy future. Kudos to our incredible teams and partners for leading the way! Ajit Muley, Thomas Klein , Philipp Kuhn , Giannandrea Abbate, PhD, MBA, Ishwarya Sathianarayanan, Maria Czerwiecka, Martin Prinz, Simon Vollendorf Dan Jeavons, Hariharasudhan Ramani, Merijn Backx, Kathren Murray, Elise H Nowee, Nick Flinn, Karina Fernandez, Vikram S., Vasuki Upadhya, Nikhil Davies, Brian Klinge, Solape Akinola, Andrea Course, Bruno Scherr, Sachin Bhakar, Urvashi Rana #Innovation #ArtificialIntelligence #AssetIntegrity #EnergyTransition #Collaboration #DigitalTransformation #AI #Energy #Sustainability https://lnkd.in/gNgcXDSk

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Chemical Engineering is Going to Boom in India and Globally—Here’s Why With India poised to become a $5 trillion economy, the demand for advanced chemical processes in pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and specialty chemicals is soaring. Government initiatives like “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” are driving massive investments in the sector, creating a fertile ground for innovation and expansion. Globally, the push towards sustainability is reshaping industries. Chemical engineers are at the forefront, developing eco-friendly alternatives, optimizing processes for lower emissions, and pioneering the circular economy. As the world shifts towards green energy and sustainable practices, the expertise of chemical engineers will be indispensable. The integration of AI, machine learning, and big data analytics is revolutionizing chemical engineering. From optimizing reaction conditions to predictive maintenance in plants, these technologies are making processes more efficient and cost-effective. This tech-driven approach is set to drive exponential growth in the field. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of chemical engineers in the development of life-saving drugs and vaccines. With the ongoing expansion of the global pharmaceutical market, chemical engineers are in high demand for their ability to design and scale up production processes. India’s growing influence in global markets is fostering collaborations with leading chemical engineering firms worldwide. These partnerships are bringing cutting-edge research and development to India, further fueling the growth of the sector. Chemical engineering is not just evolving—it’s on the verge of a boom that will shape the future of industries worldwide. Whether you’re an aspiring engineer, an industry professional, or a curious observer, now is the time to be part of this exciting journey. #JointheConversation: 1. How do you see the role of chemical engineering evolving in the next decade? 2. Are there specific innovations in the field that excite you the most? 3. All the Chemical Engineers, Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! #ChemicalEngineering #FutureOfIndustry #Innovation #Sustainability #MakeInIndia #AtmanirbharBharat #EngineeringExcellence #GlobalGrowth #GreenTech #Pharmaceuticals Follow my profile for more insights and updates on the future of chemical engineering and its impact on global industries. Let’s explore how this field will revolutionize the world together!

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Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) refers to technologies that capture the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and utilize it or store it safely underground, so that it does not contribute to climate change. Along with use of cleaner fuels like Natural gas, Renewables etc., CCUS is the future for inching towards Net Zero goals.

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