Sometimes, the most meaningful victories aren’t major policy announcements or multi-billion-dollar tender wins.

Sometimes, they’re wins that don’t make headlines.

When I first took on my public affairs role with SLB, I thought government relations were more about policy papers, regulations, and formal meetings. I thought my job was about having all the answers.

It’s not.

My job is far more human. It’s about listening first, asking the right questions, and building relationships that, over time, become cemented by trust.

The best wins for me? They’ve happened when people I’ve spent years working with—members of Congress, regulators, local officials—suddenly call me to ask, “Can you help me understand this issue?”

They call me because they trust me to give them the information they need to make informed decisions. They call me to understand who we are, what our technology does, and how our industry can contribute to their economic growth and energy security. That’s the work I show up for—building bridges between government, industry, and the communities we serve.

Take carbon sequestration, for example. In early 2025, many of these critical projects were being cut by the US Department of Energy, so my colleagues and I started a targeted campaign with Congressional members in those projects’ districts. We wanted to ensure they knew the technology that was to be employed, along with the costs, risks, and benefits to both companies and communities.

Three of those projects were allowed to continue thanks to our facts-only initiative. SLB’s educational efforts were even recognized by several trade organizations in the process.

And just like when I’m advocating for an issue or trying to influence policy, results rarely happen overnight. The same is true of trust. You can’t rush it. You have to earn it by being honest and consistent. By persisting rather than persuading. By continuing to show up, even when the benefit isn’t immediately clear.

As I reflect on my 31-year career with SLB—15 years in sales, nearly five in government affairs—I know that most people, regardless of political affiliation, title, or background, genuinely want to solve problems. And once you listen well enough to find common ground, meaningful conversations become possible.

Relationships are my most valuable assets. Technologies evolve, markets change, and administrations come and go. Trust endures.

And the trust I’ve built through meaningful conversations? It extends to SLB, too. The people I’ve served have come to see SLB as a trusted partner filled with experts and innovators who genuinely desire to solve complex challenges.

That trust will endure.

SLB’s legacy has never been just about technology. For its first 100 years, it’s been about people. It’s been about trust. And because lasting change builds during each successive, trusted conversation, I know that legacy will endure for SLB’s next 100.