Opening minds, understanding market trends and the latest innovations in the field of technology, networking with start-ups and new players. Nuno Pedras, Director of Technology at Galp, spent three days at Global Summit 2019, the annual event held by Singularity University. “It was, above all, a process of acculturation”, he declares.
“Galp is committed to following the path to change. And this will be achieved both through the path the Company has decided to take and through the industry in which it´s active. Having partners such as Singularity University enables us to progress further and faster”, stated the director, who attended the event to investigate and identify new market trends and, to the extent possible, to anticipate change.
SingularityU Global Summit: on the path to change
The Galp Director of Technology, Nuno Pedras, has told Energiser all about Global Summit 2019. The new market trends and the challenges facing the Company in the near future
The Singularity University Global Summit discussed issues including artificial intelligence, blockchain, energy transition, mobility, robotics, the future of work, the impact of the corporate world and investment in disruptive innovation
“Moreover, there was a particular focus on my area, technology and the digital world, with a view to ascertaining what can be implemented at Galp.” Nevertheless, Nuno Pedras makes a point of reminding us that the relationship between the Company and Singularity University is not one-off. “We have courses geared to many people at our Company, as this exposure to exponential technologies and new ways of working, to other methodologies, is just as important.”
MOBILITY TRENDS
While in California, Nuno Pedras came across a number of different projects in the area of mobility, some of which could apply to Galp. Above all, this involves the Company´s strategy and adapting the trends to the Portuguese market. “There is always a factor of adaptation and speed, as we don´t know if a certain trend will follow the same curve in the Portuguese market as it does in the international market. The question is: at what time on this curve is Portugal going to seize this trend.”
One of the noteworthy projects, according to the technology director – who has held the position for around a year – is related to the area of exploration. “Drones have evolved incredibly. A hydrogen-powered drone has a range of two hours instead of half an hour. This gives rise to opportunities, as, in the case of a refinery, we could use a drone to control the entire product flow, such as checking all the connections, from the ship sailing to the different phases in which the product is involved, security and surveillance operations, industrial safety of the operation itself, monitoring hazardous areas. All this can be controlled using drones and robots.”
Drones could play an even bigger role in the area of exploration at Galp
Our focus for the future is on change, and these events are essential to the acculturation of the Company, as are the courses that many of Galp´s employees take at Singularity University. The Company has been striving to ensure that as many of our employees as possible are exposed to new technologies and ways of thinking, and we are thinking about holding internal clarification sessions.
“Most people can see the advantages and want to change. They don’t regard technology as a threat. The hard part is ensuring that we don´t lose the focus and rhythm. The rest is willingness, and we have this in abundance, from the highest level throughout the entire Organisation.”
