General Manager (Sol Petroleum Jamaica Limited)

Jamaica is a major player with the second largest economy and one of the largest populations in the English-speaking Caribbean. What do you see as the main competitive and comparative advantages of Jamaica?

Jamaica’s very strategic and central location gives us a significant competitive advantage. We also have a natural harbour, which is considered to be the seventh largest harbour in the world.  This works well for Jamaica as we are suitably positioned as a regional trans-shipment hub to take advantage of opportunities in terms of travel, trade and doing businesses. An example of this is the approximately three thousand vessels, primarily cargo that we welcome every year. This facilitates a lot of trade and creates value for the entire economy. We would expect that the expansion of the Panama Canal will bring larger ships into the region; this will create business opportunities for the fuels, lubricants and other segments.

What do you see as the areas where Jamaica has room for improvement?

We should ensure that we have a proper framework in terms of infrastructure with our road network, warehousing facilities and so on.  We should continue to promote the need for specialized training and education in order to strengthen and proactively fulfill the demands towards an economic growth.   Confidence from the private sector is also key to the business developments and economic growth.

Energy is a huge challenge for Jamaica.  What are the challenges of the energy sector in Jamaican at this current time?

Jamaica’s primary source of energy is fuel, a lot of which is imported into the island at a high cost to the country.  Particularly in the last few years, the cost of fuel has been very high until we experienced a downward trend in the prices for almost a year. That has worked in our favor as it allowed the government to spend less and it also helped the economy by decreasing cost of production and cost of doing business.  Nevertheless, we can see that energy is going through a transition which is providing us with other opportunities where the thinking is towards finding more efficient energy sources.

The country has a lot of potential to produce energy through alternative sources like wind, biomass, hydro and solar. What steps are you taking to explore any of those options?

Sol is exploring other sources of energy that would represent a sustainable and reliable proposition. However Sol is currently focused on fuels and lubricants for various segments like the Automotive, Marine and Aviation. Sol also provides Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Bitumen among many other products and services.   As the premier Energy provider in the Caribbean Sol offers reliable and top notch, high quality products throughout the region. Sol supports the day to day businesses in the country including those which are emerging, for example: by providing the lubricants with the highest specifications to the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Solar Plants that would require such specs.

After two years of extremely low oil prices, the price has been rising again for the last few weeks. How optimistic are you that things will continue in that direction and, what would that mean to Jamaica and for your company?

The fluctuations in the oil prices are unpredictable and influenced by many factors.  As you know, international crude oil prices recently fell significantly to an all-time low after many years, and we did not know that it would have gone up again as fast as it has now.  The businesses and consumers certainly benefit from low prices on crude oil derived products. The competitive market forces are making it difficult for the barrel to go back to the $100 dollars per barrel where it was before. Alternate fuels are also likely to balance the scale.

 
Sol Petroleum is still a premium supplier of petroleum products in the Caribbean. What are the reasons behind Sol Petroleum’s success and performance?

Sol has become the premier supplier of customized energy products since its conception 11 years ago. The Sol Group started with the acquisitions of the Shell assets in the Eastern Caribbean. In 2009, Sol introduced its Sol retail brand in some of the markets and acquired some of the Esso assets in the region in 2014.  Sol has been able to integrate a mix of their methods and principles with our own to advance our company and leadership. Sol continues to provide world class energy solutions in the markets which it serves while focused on customer service and building sound, safe and sustainable businesses.

Sol Petroleum is present in 23 countries in the region.  Are there any plans to expand, and what is the vision for the company over the next 5 years?

The business and the markets are dynamic. Sol continues to pursue opportunities for sustainable growth through a steady trend of acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Sol is focused on becoming the premiere provider of energy products throughout the Caribbean Basin and beyond. Sol participates in the fuels and lubricants through the Retail, Commercial and Industrial segments, also distributes Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Bitumen among many other products and services. In Jamaica, Sol started with the distribution of Shell lubricants, followed by the bunkering business.  We continue to employ bright and talented colleagues to sustain our growth, and also continue looking for business and growth opportunities in Jamaica.

You supply fuels to a diverse customer network, including airlines, mining, shipping, marine and power companies.  Are you looking to expand your client base?

Sol is determined to remain the premiere provider of energy products and is always exploring opportunities for sustainable expansion. Sol’s portfolio has a wide range of businesses where we offer products and services through 23 countries, The Sol Group is mainly composed of over 500 service stations, 14 aviation facilities, 14 marinas and 32 import terminals. Sol markets Sol Fuels as well as Shell and Esso Fuels, and Shell and Pennzoil Lubricants under license. Is also immersed and is innovating on the Convenience Retailing business and its Sol Gas business is widely present throughout the region. The key to our existence and further success is Sol’s focus on Quality, Value and Customer Satisfaction.

As you know the Jamaican government is working on several measures to attract foreign direct investment.  That could only benefit your company.  Therefore, why would you encourage any business to come to Jamaica and partner with Sol Petroleum?

Sol has proven its steady trend on sustainable growth by strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Sol has become the premier supplier of customized energy products in the region and consistently improves to add value to its stakeholders by providing the best value propositions through a reliable and sustainable conduct. Sol drives its businesses by highly operating its safety, security and environmental standards.

What kinds of corporate social responsibility projects are you currently involved in?

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is key to Sol. Sol operates in a responsible and sustainable manner by providing the best value and quality products and services to the markets and businesses where it serves, by operating at high security, safety and environmental standards in the communities where Sol serves. Sol aims to have a sustainable and positive impact that would add value to the communities. Social Investments are fundamental to the CSR. Sol has an ongoing relationship with the University of the West Indies, with which has been able to offer multiple undergraduate and post graduate scholarships. Sol also participates in the University's career showcases where we offer informational sessions to students on how to interact with the wider world and prepare for future jobs. At Sol Jamaica, we also work with local schools, providing educational material like books, bags, and school treats.  Another part of our community work involves educating the public of the safety aspects of our business.  

We spoke about your previous job experience.  You were in in Nigeria, Haiti and other countries.  Today, you are a general manager at Sol Petroleum in Jamaica.  What career aspects are you most proud of?

My trips to Nigeria and Haiti were very instrumental in my career as these experiences helped me to cement what it was I really wanted to do. From my accounting background moving on to Marketing, I never thought I would have this job when I left the industry years ago and I’m glad to be here. It has opened up my career and it offers a different perspective from what I was accustomed to.

Harvard Business Review Readers include some of the most influential business leaders and decision makers in the world. As a conclusion to this interview, what would you like to say about Jamaica, about your administration and goals, and about the future of the country?

Jamaica has a lot to offer!  Our greatest asset is our well trained individuals. As for Sol Petroleum, we are a company that has core values, capabilities, experience and a wide resource of quality people. When I talk to my colleagues, we exchange our experiences and this influences how we make decisions as an industry. We are a company that knows how to provide reliable and professional service, and continue to work with our business partners to find solutions and provide excellent customer service.