Adam Kobren was recently promoted to Head of Crewing for Maersk Drilling. In this post, he shares his thoughts about the CBS Blue MBA and the tools it has provided him with.
“I have worked in the offshore energy industry for nearly 20 years, the past eleven years with Maersk Drilling, and have recently been promoted to Head of Crewing. This industry is an exciting mix of maritime business, technology and science, offering many opportunities. When it comes to water depth limits, and pressures, the company is constantly breaking new records and keeps developing new technologies. Working in this field requires traditional maritime knowledge and skills but also offers numerous technological challenges.”
Expanded network
“The Blue MBA has notably expanded my network to now stretch across functions, locations and areas of expertise. I graduated in 2019 but I am still in close contact with my classmates. When needed, I can tap into a group of maritime professionals that I not only highly respect but also call my friends. It is a huge advantage to have this kind of secure base in a volatile industry, and it helps keep me grounded in times of turbulence. I have recently changed my role, and it is my firm belief that the wider industry perspective and the tools I picked up during my Blue MBA journey will assist me during the transition to Head of Crewing for Maersk Drilling.”
Top-class lecturers
“One of the reasons I would recommend the Blue MBA is the quality of its lecturers. We were taught by top-class lecturers and professors from around the globe in every module, whether we were diving into geopolitics, finance, supply chain management or maritime economics. I was tremendously impressed by the industry gravitas our teachers carried. The programme’s learning modules were very versatile and cover many different business areas, such as Operations Management, IT, Leadership and HR.”
Tackling new challenges
“I started the programme in 2017, just after offshore drilling was coming out of what was probably the worst downturn to date. These were difficult days for offshore drilling contractors as well as professionals employed in this industry. It was noticeable that everybody started thinking in terms of ‘What comes next? What else can happen, how can we be part of that, and how can we move on once the crisis has given way to a new normal?’ Presently, as we are facing an unprecedented situation with the Coronavirus pandemic causing havoc not only for shipping but also across industries all over the world, these questions seem more relevant than ever.
“I do believe that the Blue MBA can give everyone a great set of tools to excel in this industry, at any level. It offers a unique combination of high-level business knowledge and insight into almost all segments maritime. I definitely feel that I am better positioned to tackle new challenges and adapt to new ways of working.”
