Know MC's People

This is what my great-grandfather told me when I was little. He said, "No matter how tough things get, you have to remind yourself that your resolve is being tested, and it's only being tested because it's strong enough to pass. So whatever the challenge, always remember that you have what it takes to meet it and always do your best." My great-grandfather lived during the mid-Showa era, which were difficult times, so his words have really stayed with me. When I was a high-school student, we moved to the US for three years because of my parents' work, and I remember how difficult it was at first when I started going to school there. My English was so poor that I could barely carry on a conversation, I couldn't make any friends, and even my baseball teammates wouldn't acknowledge me. But I recalled those words of my great-grandfather, and they were the reason I was able to persevere. Even after joining the workforce, I've used his advice to get me through tough times, both professionally and personally.

I'm in charge of a project to build a hydrogen supply chain for Singapore. In addition to moves to decarbonize and heightened awareness of environmental concerns, other problems like the ongoing crisis in Ukraine are highlighting the urgent need to address the objectives of the World Energy Council's Energy Trilemma* framework. Considered among the most promising means of doing so is work to establish a hydrogen society, and the idea of contributing to that is very motivating. Our work is just a small step towards realizing sustainable energy in Asia, but I think it will have a direct impact on the future. Being able to use what I've learned in my career to contribute to tomorrow's societies is truly rewarding, so I'm hoping to maximize the know-how and experience gained during my years working in LNG to help make energy transitions possible.
*The three challenges facing the energy industry: Energy security, Energy Equity and Environmental Sustainability.

I want to get people thinking about energy as their own concern. It's such an important part of our lives, and I don't mean just the electricity and gas we use at home. For example, when we buy something online, energy in a variety of forms is needed from the moment we place our order until the moment it's delivered to our door. Unfortunately, we get few reminders of the challenges facing the energy industry and the need to consider its future. In truth, before I started working in energy, other than how it relates to unusual weather or inflation I rarely thought of it as my own problem. Energy challenges can't be addressed by a single project. Each of us has to change how we think and act, and as someone whose career is in energy, I'm determined to help us do that. My goals are to raise energy awareness among the general public and create more opportunities for people to connect with it on a more meaningful level. If creating a world where we all take energy challenges personally leads to more sustainable societies, I think that's a worthwhile ambition.