- 8 Dec 2021
The Virtual Energy Industries Council Awards 2021 took place once again this year yet this time, it had a very special place in our hearts. The highly regarded EIC awards celebrate the best within the energy sector. With more than 60 companies competing for 15 prestigious awards along with the persistent hard work and efforts throughout the year, the competition was like no other!
This year, our very own Project Manager, Energy Division, Sam Elliott made us all extremely proud by securing second place in the Rising Star category. In association with The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, this award is designed to give the leaders of tomorrow in the energy sector an opportunity and potential contribution of funding for their online MBAs.
“Privileged to have been nominated by my company, SPP Pumps for the EIC
(Energy Industries Council) and
Robert Gordon University 2021 Rising Star Award! Finishing in 2nd place within such a highly competitive field was completely unexpected. Thank you to Dr. Anita Singh and Stuart R Broadley FEI for this amazing opportunity. Congratulations to Harley Ogg CEng, will hopefully see you on the MBA!” A snippet from Sam’s social media last week.
SPP are extremely proud of Sam and he thoroughly deserves this recognition for his achievements. He is yet another example of the outstanding talent we have in our organisation.
SPP values people with the right attitude: those who contribute, change things and are impactful. Sam Elliott is such an individual. Since joining SPP as part of our maintenance team, he has demonstrated ambition, self-motivation and commitment to become the most respected Project Manager in our Energy Solutions team.
Sam's Journey at SPP Pumps
An insight into Sam’s career from Robert Tichband | Chief Operating Officer:
Sam’s career began as a Maintenance Engineer but he was soon offered a place on the SPP Apprenticeship scheme as a technician. Six years of hard work at Technical College was duly recognised with an Apprentice of the Year award and National Apprenticeship Awards finalist. He became a qualified Electrical Engineer and subsequently, Lead Electrical Engineer as his innate management skills came to the fore. Wanting to help others and “give something back”, he became the SPP Apprentice Coordinator, typifying his character. He excelled in this role.
Sam gained exposure to the energy industry through the design of complex electrical systems integral to the world-class packages manufactured by SPP. This wetted his appetite for a sector that he is passionate about. As well as being an outstanding engineer, Sam is also a natural leader who possesses the organisational and communication skills essential for project management. Through the innovative implementation of processes and project management tools, Sam has optimised the way customer orders are executed, enabling SPP to efficiently deliver world-class equipment and service to the Energy Industry. Through observation and insightful analysis, Sam identified significant weaknesses in both our processes and approach which caused late deliveries and cost overruns, both of which are detrimental to the organisation. Sam worked with all stakeholders including sales, engineering, IT and production to develop collaborative, end to end processes; significantly improving delivery on time, cost adherence and product quality.
Sam has managed major capital projects for four years and is responsible for some of our most prestigious and challenging contracts. He deals with major global EPC contractors in a calm, professional and pragmatic manner. Nothing demonstrates this more than a recent Egyptian Oil & Gas project encompassing engineering, manufacture, test and commissioning of three large skids built in our Cairo facility. Despite huge logistical, technical and people challenges, the job was delivered on time, under budget and to world-class quality…all at the height of the pandemic! This was primarily down to the work of one man: Sam Elliott.
A True Rising Star at SPP Pumps
Sam’s interpersonal, man and project management skills set him apart as a natural leader. These, coupled with enthusiasm, an outstanding work ethic, intelligent delegation and decision making, allow Sam to excel as a Project Manager and contributor to the business. Sam is an accomplished communicator at all organisational levels, both internally and externally. His passion for the company and the industry is inspirational to his peers and the company as a whole. He has proved himself adept at managing projects and virtual teams, driving significant business improvement. He is a rising star within SPP and will be developed further into senior roles that bring bright, young and empowered talent into the energy industry.