Inspiring Leaders of the Future

What do you see the biggest upcoming challenges for your industry?

The challenges facing our industry are the same as those facing every other industry. While we provide assurance to businesses across a wide variety of sectors, including agriculture, cyber security and manufacturing, our origins lie in the maritime sector, and that’s one of the focal points for our work on sustainability. Last year, we launched the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, which is designed to create sustainable pathways to a zero-carbon maritime industry. Global shipping plays an essential role in the lives of most people around the world; 90% of global trade involves shipping at some stage. It’s one of the most efficient ways to move large volumes of goods around the world but the industry currently contributes 2-3% of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Getting to zero-carbon emissions is a huge task, but it is possible.

LR wants to accelerate the sustainable decarbonisation of the maritime industry, by enabling the delivery and operation of safe, technically feasible and commercially viable zero-carbon vessels by 2030.

While there has been significant progress in developing zero-carbon vessels, significant challenges around future fuel options and the land-side infrastructure need to be addressed, requiring collaboration from stakeholders across the shipping industry.

What key skills would you say someone looking to make a career move into your industry would need?

Global shipping requires many key skills, both at sea and on shore.

Seafarers need motivation, patience and tenacity to stay at sea for long periods as their ships ply the world’s oceans, sometimes in unimaginable weather conditions.

Among the crew, you will find skilled navigators, deck officers and first-class engineers who ensure that ships function effectively and supply lines are kept open. On shore, there are many professions supporting the maritime industry; from naval architects and marine engineers to finance, insurance and legal experts capable of arranging funds and securing assets. Like all sectors, there are opportunities for those looking to work in business development human resources, marketing and training. As a classification society, Lloyd’s Register performs an essential function in validating the standard of construction, operation and overall safety of ships and other assets within its class. This process begins as the first steel is cut at the beginning of construction, right through to ship trials, commissioning, and then operation, with regular inspections and surveys, until it is eventually recycled. Within our team, we have experts in a wide range of engineering disciplines including ship design, construction, propulsion technologies, marine fuels and bunkering operations, coatings and asset protection, computer hardware and software, cyber security, satellite communications and maintenance management.

How has your working life been during the pandemic? What kind of changes have you seen?

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we all work and operate. To help keep global supply chains open and overcome the challenges of lockdowns and travel restrictions, LR had to reappraise some of our processes and practices, as well as how we support our clients. The pandemic also spurred digital advancement, with technology take up accelerating as global businesses had to rely more readily on remote capability. Now, 1 in 3 of the 30,000+ surveys we perform each year are completed without attendance, up from around 10% of surveys pre-pandemic. In most countries our surveyors have been able to continue to work throughout the pandemic in accordance with local guidelines and using enhanced safety protocols. Office-based staff have adapted to homeworking, and collaboration using online tools, which has worked well thanks to the investments made in technology by the business in the years before the pandemic. As restrictions ease in some parts of the world, and return to offices is possible, it’s likely some teams will maintain a blend of home and office working.

A key learning from the pandemic for all is that focus should be on the outcome of work, with perhaps less emphasis on where that work takes place.

What do you hope to get out of the partnership?

Much like Chevening, Lloyd’s Register (LR) hopes to inspire the leaders of the future. LR is a professional services organisation; our experts advise our clients in improving the safety and performance of complex projects and critical infrastructure. Essentially, our work helps to keep the world moving safely, efficiently and sustainably. Achieving our goals requires people with ability, integrity and expertise. They need to be trusted advisers to our clients, and leaders in their field of expertise. That resonates with Chevening’s objective of bringing leaders from across the world to develop their skills in the UK. Strong leadership benefits from a global perspective and access to multiple points of view. This is among the many reasons why we applaud Chevening’s initiatives in the field of education and why we are supporting Chevening Scholarships in Africa.