Graduated with a Bachelor of Multimedia in Media Innovation from Multimedia University (MMU), Aimran is an oil and gas executive who comes with a wealth of experience in business communication, having joined the custodian of Malaysia’s national oil and gas resources, Petronas, in 2008 as an internal communication executive and worked his way up to his current position as head of change management.
Today, Aimran leads his team in facilitating successful organisational change and oversees activities such as awareness and information cascading, team alignment programmes, managing change agents as well as the design and execution of various change-related communications, in support of the organisation’s objective of becoming a leading industrial park operator and developer.
What impact did the MCO have on change management in your company and what crucial role did you play at that moment?
In the face of change and uncertainty, we are the ones who go in to ensure that everyone is tuned into the same mindset and keeping an objective view. At the time of the MCO, our company had just transitioned from a project development phase to operation. That alone was a huge change for our people. Couple that with the MCO and you get quite a monumental task at hand. I believe the best course of action to take in times like this is engagement, because when you’re not in front of each other, it’s easy for everyone to get lost. This is where we step in and ensure that all this engagement is kept going, by whatever means necessary.
How prepared were you for the sudden change and what do you reckon is the best way to brace oneself?
Despite being in change management, we were really caught off our guard. For the first two weeks, I felt a bit lost trying to figure out how to adapt to working from home. But as we went along, we realised that while we were all isolated at home, we were not alone in this. As soon as we realised that we were in the same boat and counting on each other to do our part, we began to see a new path and find our way back together. What has really worked for me is talking to someone, even though they are not in front of you. Whenever I feel lost, I would reach out to a friend or colleague. Even if they feel the same, it gives me some sort of an assurance that I’m not alone. But more importantly, I find that verbalising my problems or worries helps to present my thoughts with better clarity.
How has the MCO reshaped your mindset and outlook?
I’ve learnt that many of the things that we previously thought were difficult or unacceptable, like doing things online and working remotely, are in fact achievable. It has even given us the advantage of increased productivity by eliminating time-consuming commutes and prolonged in-person meetings.
Aimran is wearing: Leather jacket by ALL SAINTS; Shirt, trousers and boots, his own; BREITLING Top Time Limited Edition in stainless steel with nubuck strap