Behind the driver’s wheel of his ML55 Benz and flying pilot in his helicopter, the Sultan himself of Brunei Darussalam descended upon us right here at Brunei Shell Petroleum’s headquarters in Seria, Brunei 2 days ago. The once richest man in the world, Sultan Hajji Hassanal Bolkiah, was joined by Shell CEO Peter Voser to celebrate BSP’s 80th anniversary in operation.

And they were parading right down the area where I’m working! That says a lot. BSP is at the center of the universe with regards to applied oil and gas information technology. After all, BSP received the Shell technology partner of the year award and it has proved to be a successful grounds for digital oilfield world 1sts due to the Sultan’s funding, technology uptake, and because of people’s willingness to take innovative risks to drive business improvement.

Followed by a couple of keynote speeches televised by Radio Television Brunei, the sultan graced the halls as his hands landed on the lips of thousands of employees greeting him with utmost humility. I shook the hand of royalty and that was a nice moment for me. The sultan’s physique reflects peak fitness for a man in his sixties. It was striking in beauty to see a successful empire built on the principles of Islam, led by Muslims from the very top to the working class. I’m really glad to be a part of such a movement.