PETROLIAM Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) president and CEO Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin is a man with a big task ahead. Helming one the world’s largest and most successful national oil companies (NOCs), Wan Zul has to steer the behemoth company through the treacherous waters of the oil and gas industry today. The affable Wan Zul, who took over the reins last April, has had to make many tough decisions. Ones that impact the livelihoods of the thousands of employees, contract staff, agents, contractors and other business associates of the oil giant.
Wan Zul had also inherited two massive projects which had been entered into by Petronas when the price of oil was above US$100 a barrel. These are the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project in Pengerang, Johor, and the US$36bil (RM137bil) Petronas-led Pacific NorthWest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Canada.