Mention the word Sapura, the general public, investors, the business circle in Malaysia and the world will automatically associate it with the oil and gas sector.
RIGHTFULLY so, as the firm Sapura Energy Berhad is one of Malaysia’s pioneering companies delving in the sector and the firm has propelled the Sapura and the Malaysian brand name to all corners of the world.
At the helm of the company is its President and Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin who has toiled his heart and soul to boost the Sapura brand name to global status.
Shahril is instrumental in putting the company on the world map and in the process, Malaysia too has become a household name.
“Thanks to Shahril and Sapura, the Malaysia name is well known as it aspires to become an international brand in more than 20 countries.
Thanks to Shahril, the firm Sapura and Malaysia is now a global brand,” said an analyst at Permodalan Nasional Berhad.
Shahril, 57 is no stranger to the Malaysian oil and gas sector after Sapura was established by his father and Sapura chairman Tan Sri Shamsuddin Abdul Kadir in 1975.
Shahril’s name is well known in the circle synonymous with crude oil and his steely determination and finesse in managing the firm is an industry standard.
The grandson of a bus driver, Shahril’s meteoric rise into the pinnacle of the corporate world has no comparison and Sapura has become the template for all start-ups which want to start in the oil and gas business.
Today Sapura, which is named after Shahril’s late mother Puan Sri Siti Sapura Husin has a global presence visible in more than 20 countries employing more than 10,000 employees spanning over 35 nationalities.
Shahril’s resilience in building the company is admirable and is second to none except Petronas and to date the concern has bagged a total of RM17.2 billion worth of order book.
And on Bursa Malaysia, Sapura shares are consistently among the top gainers and most active constantly stirring investors interests.
Shahril’s brilliance can be seen late last year when at a time when many oil and gas firms are closing shop, he engineered Sapura’s turnaround by reducing debt, cleaned its balance sheet and raised RM8 billion via two corporate exercises combined – a cash call exercise with Permodalan Nasional Berhad and a partnership with Austria’s OMV AG.
This is no mean feat in the face of challenging crude oil prices and a gloomy outlook in the energy sector.
Shahril defied all odds and Sapura is now on its way to become a powerhouse once again in the exploration and production, engineering and construction and drilling segments.
Shahril and Sapura have partly elevated Malaysia to become a global brand name and they will continue to propel the country to greater heights for the betterment of the nation and the people.
