We recently had the privilege of having an insightful conversation with Mahmoud Abughazala, Managing Director of GEMS Industrial Services. With over two decades of experience across nine countries, Mahmoud leads with vision and attention to detail. Overseeing operational leadership and complete P&L responsibility at GEMS, he has played an instrumental role in shaping the company’s current position.
Parallel to this, Mahmoud Abughazala also authors the popular LinkedIn newsletter “NextGen Energy,” a weekly guide that offers real-world insights and leadership advice to emerging professionals in the energy sector.
Career Trajectory of Mahmoud Abughazala
Interested to learn more about Mahmoud Abughazala’s professional journey, we asked, “Can you walk us through your professional journey and how it led to where you are today?”
Mahmoud shared, “I spent 15 years at SLB (formerly Schlumberger) working in field operations across nine countries, which taught me leadership under pressure and the importance of cultural empathy. A move to Silicon Valley startup Tachyus exposed me to lean execution and rapid innovation, and now I’m combining both experiences to grow GEMS across Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.”
Adaptability Amidst Challenging Phases
Challenges are an inevitable part of growth. So, we asked, “Reflecting on your career, what have been some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced, and how did you overcome them?”
“Adapting leadership approaches across diverse cultures—from Angola to Denmark, made me realize the importance of listening first. Moving to Tachyus forced me to embrace failure fast and learn fast, a mindset I now apply to building scalable systems at GEMS,” he mentioned.
The Art of Balancing
We requested Mahmoud Abughazala to share his approach on balancing long-term vision with short-term operational needs.
He explained, “I translate big-picture goals into short-term priorities that teams can act on immediately, while staying close to the field to ensure strategy ties to reality. This approach keeps GEMS both grounded and forward-moving.”
Current Offerings at GEMS
Intrigued to learn more about the services offered by Mahmoud Abughazala and if he is planning to launch some new additions, we asked him to share the same.
“GEMS delivers industrial services like piping, steel fabrication, pipeline installation, painting, insulation, and plant maintenance across the energy and infrastructure sectors. We’re now expanding into pre‑commissioning services and digital project-tracking to offer more integrated solutions to clients,” Mahmoud shared.
Assessing the Market Dynamics
To stay ahead of the curve, assessing the ongoing market trends is crucial. To gather Mahmoud Abughazala’s perspective on this aspect, we asked, “What methods do you use to analyze market trends, and how have these influenced your business decisions?”
He added, “We combine hard data, like CAPEX forecasts and regulatory news, with informal field conversations involving clients and suppliers. When we saw clients in Saudi increasingly seeking end‑to‑end packages, we strategically expanded our service offering to match.”
A Balance of Discipline and Agility
To learn more about the evolving leadership approach of Mahmoud Abughazala, we asked, “What leadership lessons have you carried from your time at SLB and Tachyus into building GEMS?”
Mahmoud responded, “From SLB, I learned the power of structure, discipline, and cross-cultural execution at scale. From Tachyus, I took the mindset of speed, experimentation, and building lean — and at GEMS, I’m fusing both to create a company that’s stable yet agile, disciplined yet daring.”
Envisioning the Future
We further asked, “What emerging technologies do you believe will have the most significant impact on your industry in the next five years?”
“Digital twins and predictive analytics will revolutionize maintenance planning, automation and robotics will enhance safety and efficiency, and AI will optimize project management. The key to success will be pragmatic integration, not chasing tech fads,” he added.
Words of Wisdom for Beginners
Addressing the aspiring beginners of his field, we asked Mahmoud Abughazala, “What advice do you give young professionals entering the energy and industrial services sector today?”
“Don’t rush to look smart, focus on being useful, reliable, and curious in the field first. The energy industry rewards those who listen deeply, ask the ‘dumb’ questions, and build their credibility one decision at a time,” he added.
Crafting a Legacy of Success
We ended the session by asking, “How do you want your business to be remembered, and what steps are you taking to secure that legacy?”
“I want GEMS to be known for trust, integrity, and leaving a positive impact—not just completed projects. We build durable systems, mentor emerging leaders through *NextGen Energy*, and strive to empower the next generation to build faster and smarter,” Mahmoud concluded.
Follow Mahmoud Abughazala on LinkedIn.
Find GEMS Industrial Services on LinkedIn and visit their website https://gemsbahrain.com
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