CEO Insights Magazine

The oil and gas industry holds significant sway over both domestic and global markets, with fluctuations in oil prices directly impacting overall economic health. As the world's primary energy source, oil plays a crucial role in shaping various industries and economies worldwide. United Engineering Services (UES) part of the MB Group is a privately owned Omani firm focusing on engineering solutions for oil & gas, power generation, water, and marine sectors. Founded in 1979, UES has experienced remarkable expansion, earning recognition as a top-tier manufacturing entity renowned for its professionalism, dynamism, and commitment to quality. David White, the Chief Executive Officer of United Engineering Services, has extensive experience in leadership and managment, contributing significantly to the organisation's success and growth. 

During a private interview, David provided insights into his industry experience and divulged details about the internal workings of the organization.

Discuss your professional background, experiences, and the driving force behind your daily routine.

My core background spans three decades in the military and central government. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, I was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) in 1990, followed by a typical military career serving globally. Transitioning to central government, I spent 12 years before joining the MB Group in late 2019. Initially tasked with developing board-level capabilities in business resilience, capacity building, and crisis management, my role shifted drastically when COVID-19 hit in late February 2020. Leading a team with limited crisis management experience, I navigated global business challenges for over two years. Subsequently, I assumed leadership at United Engineering Services, the heavy engineering and defence arm of the group, initially as Deputy CEO for a year before becoming CEO for the past 16 months.

Upon my initial arrival, United Engineering Services operated as a traditional heavy engineering enterprise, mainly focused on machine shop and fabrication work, alongside painting, blasting, and agency sales. Despite possessing a highly skilled workforce and robust quality assurance, the company had grown stagnant in its approach and client base over the preceding eight to ten years. Over the course of approximately two years, we undertook a transformation, shifting towards becoming an engineering solution provider. This involved diversifying our services beyond the oil and gas sector to include renewable energy, environmental, water defence, and other areas. Our aim was to position ourselves as a comprehensive solution provider in mechanical engineering, with plans to expand into electrical engineering. This transition marked a significant evolution from a traditional business model to a forward-thinking engineering solutions provider.

As the CEO, what are the factors you take into account when developing effective corporate growth strategies for United Engineering Services?

In my CEO role, leveraging my extensive military and government sector experience, I prioritize building a skilled team pivotal for translating vision into tangible outcomes. This entailed senior team restructuring, appointing a Chief Technical Officer to enhance business capabilities, and fostering collaborative strategy development. I emphasized pushing boundaries, urging exploration of new opportunities like offshore operations, and renewable energy, and applying mechanical engineering to environmental challenges in oil and gas. These efforts enabled swift penetration into new sectors, including oil and gas rentals, offshore support, and defence collaborations. Notably, our partnership led to the introduction of a groundbreaking AI-enabled fast interceptor, marking a significant innovation milestone.

Describe your leadership style. What principles or methodologies guide your approach as a leader?

Drawing from my leadership training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, I uphold its core principles, tailored for the business world. Honesty, integrity, and loyalty guide my leadership approach and extend to all employees irrespective of their roles. An open-door policy fosters direct communication, ensuring valuable ideas aren't overlooked. I promote 'mission command,' empowering staff at all levels to make decisions, be creative and learn from mistakes. In my three decades of leadership across diverse sectors, I've seen innovation hindered by insecure leadership. Recognizing my limitations, I prioritize listening to and engaging with my team to leverage their expertise and enhance our collective efforts. 

What do you foresee in terms of your personal and company's future direction over the next five years? 

For our group, the focus is on strengthening current achievements and expanding from our current position. Building upon our success in areas like quality control and assurance, ensuring efficient product delivery at competitive prices, we aim to diversify the business. In five years, I envision approximately half of our operations in United Engineering Services being in the oil and gas sector, while the remaining half would span into new territories such as hydrogen, renewable energy, defence, environmental solutions, and general electrical engineering.

Given your extensive professional background in the field, what guidance would you offer to emerging industry leaders?

Analyzing historical trends offers valuable insights for industry and business leadership. While learning from the past, it's crucial not to repeat mistakes but to adapt lessons for current challenges and those that will come tomorrow. Building resilience, contingency plans, and training staff to perform under stress are vital. COVID-19 has emphasized the need for leaders to manage adversity effectively. Leadership isn't just about success; it's about guiding through both sunny and stormy times.

David White, CEO, United Engineering Services

David White is a seasoned strategic management and leadership professional with more than three decades of hands-on experience and a robust blend of vocational and academic qualifications. He adeptly tackles challenges spanning both government and private sectors, specializing in training design and delivery , CNI protection, crisis and disaster management, offset program delivery and mentoring.