FEMALE LEADERSHIP IN KAZAKHSTAN’S ENERGY INDUSTRY
Oil Ladies of TCO
Today, 30% of middle management positions at Tengizchevroil are held by women. Respect for diversity and inclusivity is a core value at TCO, which is why the company leads in the energy sector of Kazakhstan in terms of female representation in leadership roles.
Notably, over half of the female employees of TCO and staffing agencies, precisely 58%, work at Tengiz, while the rest are based in the Atyrau offices. Is it challenging for a woman in the oil industry? Do so-called glass ceilings exist in the sector for women? We asked two female representatives working at Tengizchevroil to answer these and other questions.
Maira Mailybek, TCO Digital Project Portfolio Planning Manager
Over the 5 years of work at Tengizchevroil (TCO), Maira changed 7 technical roles: she played a crucial role in introducing Agile methodology in the capital projects department, IT, and strategic departments. Her contribution to the implementation of the HR platform that was launched at TCO in a record 9 months was also remarkable. Currently, Maira is focused on high-quality prioritization of IT projects at TCO, ensuring maximum efficiency and competitiveness of processes at every stage of digital portfolio management. Apart from her professional achievements, Maira also demonstrates an active attitude to life. She serves as a mentor to young female professionals who are planning a successful career in the masculine oil and gas industry.
–A stereotype about oil and gas industry as a purely male territory still dominates (especially in the western regions of the country). How did you get a job at an oil production company?
While studying at university, I did an internship at the SokolovskSarbaiskoye Mining and Processing Production unit close to Rudny City. It was my first experience working in operations, and I became acquainted with an interesting area in IT - Project Management. My mentor was a Project Manager from Scotland, and we were implementing the SAP ERP system in all ERG enterprise business units. I am thankful to my mentor for the comprehensive knowledge she imparted to me about project management, including the awareness on project, program and portfolio layers, and depths of how to plan all associated plans and activities and risks. I learned a lot from her, and it felt like I had graduated from another university. One of the interesting facts and my observation was that she always wore a black tie with a short haircut and explained to us young girls: «I don’t want to be different from men at meetings, I want to look just like them so that I can be treated as an equal.»
After completing an internship, I decided to further my education in IT management. I found that I was more inspired by working in production by seeing the tangible results of my efforts, while I had worked in banking and communications for several years. As a result, I pursued a master’s degree in Economic Sciences with a focus on IT management at FH Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The day I was returning to Kazakhstan, I had an interview scheduled with a recruiting company in Atyrau for the position of Business Analyst. Unfortunately, I overslept due to exhaustion from my trip. However, the company was persistent and called me five times until they were able to reach me. After two rounds of interviews, I was offered the job and started working as a TCO contractor employee in Atyrau in 2018.
– What has your career path looked like up to date?
– I came as a service contractor employee - a Business Analyst, and six months later I got employed as a direct TCO employee for the newly opened position of a Scrum Master. I was thrilled with this opportunity as it allowed me to apply the Agile knowledge I had acquired in Germany. At that time, the IT industry was transitioning to project management using the new Agile Framework, and TCO was following the trend. I was involved in this transition as one of the Agile coordinators and eventually began working as an Agile coach, providing training, supporting project management, and conducting awareness campaigns about the new working way.
After gaining two years of experience in TCO IT, I continued this work in the Decision-Making Center of Excellence team of the Strategic Planning and Business Performance Department. Later, I was ultimately nominated as the leader of this group. However, changes occurred in the department, and I was fortunate enough to work in the Leading Performance (LP) group, where I helped improve TCO’s competitive performance tracking processes.
Отработав полгода с замечательной командой LP, я заняла нынешнюю позицию–менеджер по планированию и портфелю цифровых проектов ТШО. То есть за 4 с половиной года я сменила 7 ролей, была координатором 2 трансформаций, коучем более 15 проектов… Я очень благодарна всем своим руководителям, коллегам и командам, которые были со мной и всегда меня поддерживали. Без них я бы не была сейчас здесь и не знала того, что я знаю.
After working with the LP team for six months, I transitioned to my current position as TCO Digital Proects Portfolio and Planning Manager. Over four and a half years, I held seven roles, served as a coordinator of two transformations, and coached over 15 projects. I am extremely grateful to all my managers, colleagues, and teams who supported me throughout my journey. Without them, I would not be where I am today, and I would not have the knowledge and experience I have now.
– Have you ever had to deal with gender-based discrimination in your life?
Luckily, I have not faced any apparent discrimination. There have been instances of distrust based on my age when I started my career or when I joined a new team. In coaching, we refer to this initial phase as a period of turbulence or storm. However, once I have established a trusting relationship, I have always noticed and continue to observe today that people view me as a professional in my field.
– Is there a so-called «glass ceiling» in women’s career, or is it a myth?
– At TCO, I have never felt held back by a «glass ceiling» - unlike in some of my previous workplaces. It has become clear to me that this kind of barrier is not just unhelpful, it is actually bad for business performance. The «glass ceiling» assumes that you are only considering men for some positions, cutting out 50% of the talent pool. Consequently, you will have fewer candidates, slow progress, and hold the company’s grow. The effectiveness of a company depends on the fact that, regardless of gender and age, people are competent and can deliver results
I currently work in the production department, and there is a program for women in production called «Women in Operations» , and it is not because they feel there is a «glass ceiling» , no, the production department wants to promote more women to leadership positions because it positively influences personnel motivation. Haven’t you noticed it? When you work with a woman, especially a leader, the dialogue is structured differently; she focuses more on understanding, hearing, and helping. The employees trust her more. Therefore, I believe and assume a woman leader is exactly the person who can motivate people more than a man.
– Should the government help and make preferences for women, especially in oil and gas industry?
– I believe the relationship between the government and the citizens should be like that between a manager and an employee. Just like a manager ensures that the employee has everything necessary to work efficiently, the government should provide additional support to its citizens. For instance, many employees must leave work early to pick up their children from kindergarten or look after them when they are unwell. In such cases, the government could help by providing extended periods and making hospitals available after working hours. Another area where the government could assist is providing additional financial support to women raising children. Sometimes, women struggle to afford their children’s basic necessities and medical expenses. Perhaps the government could provide additional payments? We have a large government and a fairly good economy, and I think that women are raising a new nation. And the less she thinks about economic problems, the more she will invest in children and the more educated the next generation will be. And the government is primarily interested in this, I assume.
– How do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
– I want to continue being a valuable asset to TCO in the future and bring even greater benefits to the company. In my personal life, I aspire to be a happy mother and wife. Currently, I am single and do not have children, but I hope to have both in my life within the next 5 years. My life guardrail has always been that I must be mentally and financially developed before becoming a mother so that I can provide the best for my child. I feel that I have now reached this level and can be a good parent.
Furthermore, I would like to share my knowledge and experience not only within TCO but also with small and medium-sized RoK businesses that are just starting their journey. I want to act as a consultant and catalyst and help others succeed. I hope all my plans will come to fruition.
Илан Тазабекова, представитель отдела маркетинга и транспортировки ТОО «Тенгизшевройл»
Ilan has been awarded twice by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for her contribution to the development of the oil and gas industry. She has been instrumental in supporting the country’s initiatives and promoting an active lifestyle. Despite working in a department that has been subject to constant dynamic changes for over 17 years, Ilan received an MBA from the University of Manchester and earned her Ph.D. She also completed a temporary assignment at Chevron, Houston. Ilan successfully combines her professional role with being a caring mother of three children.
– A stereotype of oil and gas industry as a purely man’s territory still dominates. How did you get a job at an oil company?
Yes, hard physical jobs, such as those in drilling operations, are often filled by men. However, many women are employed in other areas of the oil and gas industry, and I have not experienced noticeable discrimination against females. In my case, I was able to obtain my job thanks to my diploma from the Faculty of Chemistry at Moscow State University named after Lomonosov, as well as my personal and professional skills. TCO has an objective and transparent approach to selecting candidates, which helps ensure that the most suitable professionals are hired. This creates opportunities for women like myself to establish themselves and advance their careers at TCO.
– - What was your career path looked like up to now?
– At the beginning of my career journey, I didn’t pay much attention to my future prospects. I focused on performing my duties diligently and worked hard to improve myself for the sake of my family’s future. However, I eventually became interested in reaching higher levels, taking on more responsibilities, and making decisions that would benefit my team. I found it creatively stimulating to find solutions to complex problems, analyze and predict outcomes, and respond to new challenges, as our work is closely tied to national economic, political, and social factors. It’s so interesting and engaging that I sometimes forget about my personal responsibilities and circumstances.
– What are your responsibilities today?
– My responsibilities include engagements with stakeholders on gas supplies, including to the domestic market. TCO plays a leading role in meeting the growing needs of the Republic of Kazakhstan in liquefied petroleum gas, both for the petrochemical industry of the country and for the domestic needs of the population. Our task is to reliably ensure uninterrupted supplies of the product. Currently, TCO has been supplying 100% of the propane that the KPI plant processes. In November 2022, TCO signed an agreement with Butadiene LLP to support the supply of butane to a new petrochemical plant for the production of butadiene in Atyrau
– Have you had to deal with the facts of gender discrimination in your life?
– In real life, yes. Quite often I would say. At school, we were constantly taught that a girl should follow certain rules, and not otherwise, just because she is a girl. In business, when I was engaged in supply of chemical equipment, partners often tried to deceive, believing that a woman was below them in terms of intelligence and weaker in entrepreneurial acumen.
I also often faced gender discrimination when I worked for other private companies in Kazakhstan. But it is at TCO that I absolutely do not have to deal with gender discrimination. Perhaps this is due to TCO policy, according to which discrimination of employees on any grounds, whether gender, age, ethnic or religious, is unacceptable.
- Is there a so-called «glass ceiling» in a career for women, or is it a myth?
– In my opinion, there is still a glass ceiling for women in our society. Do you see many female governors and ministers? They seem to hit a certain level beyond which it becomes difficult to advance. Balancing a successful career and a family home is a challenging task, particularly if one has children. Both require a significant amount of time, effort, and resources and inevitably, some sacrifices have to be made. Unfortunately, our societal norms dictate that it is the woman’s responsibility to maintain the family home, often at the expense of her career and personal development. This is the main cause of the glass ceiling for women in our society, although I do not face it in TCO.
The specifics of a woman’s work are such that she has to go on maternity leave, parental leave, sick leave when children are unwell, etc. Can this be an obstacle to career growth and how to combine it correctly with professional ambitions?
In terms of career and professional growth, having children can certainly pose a challenge. However, I consider myself fortunate to have had a supportive and «feminist» environment, thanks to my grandmothers, aunts, and daughters-in-law who assisted me in setting priorities and caring for my children. With their help, I was able to return to work early after maternity leave, successfully defend my thesis, graduate from the University of Manchester, and take minimal sick leave due to my children’s illnesses. I believe that even though a woman’s success is largely dependent on her own efforts, the support of her family and friends is crucial to achieving her goals.
– Should the state give preferences to women in employment and career growth?
– No. I believe that it would be considered gender discrimination if someone were to offer a position to a person solely based on their gender. However, there is a concept of «positive discrimination» where benefits or preferential rights are given to individuals based on their gender, ethnicity, etc. But I don’t believe that this concept should be applied in employment and career growth. If I were offered a position solely based on my gender, I would feel offended. I think that a job should be given to the person whose business and professional qualities are the best fit for the role, and who complies with all the requirements, regardless of their gender.
– Who do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years?
– I envision myself as a fulfilled and joyful mother and grandmother, always surrounded by my children and grandchildren. However, this will not deter me from pursuing a career in national management. It is a well-established fact that countries where women hold managerial positions tend to demonstrate higher levels of economic prosperity and overall well-being.