Technologies2 min read

Abdulaziz AlDuaij, a CIO With Words of Wisdom

VMware Staff
Abdulaziz AlDuaij, CIO at Kuwait National Petroleum Company

VMware’s Agents of Change initiative celebrates smart CIOs harnessing the transformative power of technology to change the way their business operates.

Here’s the next individual in the series: Abdulaziz AlDuaij, CIO at Kuwait National Petroleum Company.

As CIO of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), Mr. Abdulaziz AlDuaij assumes an important responsibility. Not only is KNPC one of the biggest oil and gas companies in the Gulf region, it is also one of the biggest contributors to the Kuwaiti economy.

Contributing to the Local Economy

“At work I am motivated by many things, from my passion for tech to seeing the business value created from our IT systems,” he says. “But the most important is my desire to see KNPC increase even more its positive impact on the local economy.”

Hear from AlDuaij in the video below, then read on to learn the cautionary advice AlDuaij offers to other CIOs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUrbb09bgzI&feature=youtu.be

Game-Changing Business Intelligence

With the declining price of oil, this is not an easy challenge. But it’s one that AlDuaij is calmly addressing through a series of transformational IT initiatives. For example, KNPC is building an ambitious community cloud, which will support big data and other innovative applications. This will provide game-changing business intelligence for the running of its growing oil and gas refineries as well as support the organization’s adoption of DevOps methodologies.

These initiatives support KNPC’s business strategy to introduce the latest technologies known in the oil refining industry. And they also tap into AlDuaij’s passion for digital innovation. “I want KNPC to be known as the best company for technological innovation in Kuwait.  If we achieve this, we’ll attract the best talent locally and beyond. That’s good for KNPC and that’s good for Kuwait.”

Time, Effort, and Some Good Luck

However, AlDuaij offers a note of caution for other CIOs. “Deploying pioneering technology is not enough for success—that would be too easy. Effective CIOs need to build a team of changemakers. These are people who have a natural ability to drive positive change. And finding these people takes time, effort, and some good luck!”