A bold, assertive woman embraces a key leadership role in the oil sector
Gina Arjoon, the new Deputy Director of the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD), plays a crucial role in her nation’s rapidly evolving oil and gas industry. A seasoned economist with 15 years of experience in developmental work, Gina is making an indelible mark in a male-dominated field due to her resilience, foresight, and commitment to advancing opportunities for women.
Playing Her Role in a Paradigm Shift
When ExxonMobil found substantial oil and gas resources offshore Guyana in 2015, Gina saw this as more than a game-changing economic windfall. A passionate advocate of sustainable national development founded on gender equality, she immediately realized the rich potential to use this sector to advance gender welfare and holistic national growth. “Oil and gas brought us an opportunity, something unprecedented…it meant widespread development…more inclusive growth, gender-based and otherwise, than I think any of us ever thought possible,” she says.
Today, almost ten years after the initial oil find, Gina is building her career and helping the CLBD to fulfill its mission from its inception in 2017: leveraging gains from the booming oil sector to empower local businesses and advance other industries. But her vision goes beyond that. She sees Guyana as the regional leader in agriculture, tourism, hospitality, and logistics, positioning the country at the forefront of inclusive economic development and equal opportunities for all. This vision aligns perfectly with the Centre’s current and planned programs.
Ascent in Leadership
As Arjoon grew in her career, she embraced the strides made by women before her, pressing for gender equality in the workplace and driving towards a more inclusive and diverse professional environment. “Just by being a woman, I think it is more difficult to be in a leadership position…but not impossible,” she asserts.
While women worldwide still face significant gender bias, many Guyanese women have confronted this challenge positively. The number of local women-owned and led companies is growing, and they are competitive internationally; also many women are leaders in politics and government. In dealing with the pressures of gender bias, Arjoon draws strength from assertive, successful women, who are her guiding lights.
“Being open to learning and mentorship,” Gina advises, is critical to her career growth, particularly from inspirational women. CLBD Director Dr. Natasha Gaskin-Peters, Minister of Human Services and Social Security and religious leader Dr. Vindhya Persaud, and prominent lawyer and corporate executive Ms. Patricia Bacchus are among the progressive women she admires. Most of all, she is grateful to her mother for inspiring her professional development and imparting priceless wisdom on leadership. These mentors taught her that women should support each other, not indulge in unwholesome competition, and that creating a collaborative environment is essential for achieving success.
Women in Oil and Gas
Delving into the evolution of female roles within the oil and gas industry with genuine sincerity, Gina sees a significant shift in a sector traditionally dominated by male engineers and maritime operators. As evidence of a decisive transformation, she notes the increasing presence of women entering the oil industry, taking up leadership roles, and pursuing education in engineering disciplines.
However, she is aware that the gender bias women face extends beyond the oil and gas industry. Balancing responsibilities at work and home, lack of access to education opportunities, and limited mentorship are some of the biggest challenges for women. Despite recent progress, Gina believes that achieving lasting solutions requires more work and a united approach across gender lines.
“Often, women in general look at each other as competition and that is not the way it should be. The approach I would have taken throughout my entire life is just trying to learn from others, men and women alike, in the space and contribute to advancements where I can. . .You have to empower each other,” she says. While emphasizing that women’s progress in the workplace is important, Gina believes the discussion should extend to encompass gender equality as a whole.
How the Centre Empowers Women & Builds Local Content
Inclusivity, which Gina proudly promotes, is at the heart of the CLBD’s mission. It is the driving force behind initiatives like its previous Entrepreneurship Programs, AccelerateHer, ElevateAll, and the HSSE Management System Mentorship Program, which galvanized women-owned and led businesses in Guyana. Over 100 companies across economic sectors have thrived and become globally competitive through these programs.
CLBD’s HSSE training, workforce development, mentorship programs, and project management support impart knowledge and nurture a success-oriented mindset. Arjoon recalls some businesses contacting the Centre with only a business registration certificate. However, after getting help with identifying their gaps and participating in mentorship programs, they emerged as significant players in their respective industries.
For Arjoon, local content in the oil and gas sector transcends economic diversification; it embodies sustainable and equitable growth. The Centre plays a pivotal role in working with Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enable equitable wealth distribution. By having a focus on general skills enhancement and capacity development, expanding industries like manufacturing, services, tourism, and technology, have also directly benefited from the Centre’s work with SMEs.
Future Initiatives and Focus
Speaking of future initiatives, Gina points out that the CLBD aims to improve and accelerate programs that increase competitiveness, enhance access to business opportunities, and improve data-driven policies and analysis. She underscores the importance of applying an analytical approach, using credible data for informed decision-making and policy formulation.
She says the CLBD plans to increase and expand capacity-building courses, facilitate trade missions and B2B sessions, and execute analytical studies to support local and international businesses. Meanwhile, the Centre will continue to promote its centralized hub (Centre Hub), which facilitates access to resources and events organized by the Centre and effectively connects small businesses with larger contractors.
Advice to Women
“Be open to learning but also empower others,” is the advice Gina shares with women seeking jobs in the oil sector or entering the business community. She encourages collaboration over competition and urges women not to try to rush up the career ladder but to gain experience and appreciate growth at each level.
Confidence is the cornerstone of leadership for both men and women, Gina affirms. A firm handshake and unflinching assertiveness—these subtleties are her go-to tools to maneuver through a professional environment. Noting that female self-assuredness is an ongoing journey, she advises women to speak up without fear, especially in leadership roles.
