Building Offshore Resilience: Oil and Gas HR Leader Rose Mulwa on How Workforce Strategy Drives Operational Success in the Gulf of Mexico | Shale Magazine

A SHALE exclusive by Ellen F. Warren

Focused on oil and gas human resources, Rose Mulwa has built her career on transforming workforce management into a strategic advantage. In this conversation, she shares how integrating financial acumen, data-driven insights, and people-first leadership is redefining workforce strategies for offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico are continually pressured by contemporary issues such as digital transformation, decarbonization, and workforce transitions. As these challenges evolve, the Human Resources function is increasingly pivotal to both sustainability and profitability. For Rose Mulwa, GPHR, North America Offshore Division HR Manager for a leading global oilfield services and technology company, the key to sustainable success lies in treating workforce strategy as a core business function, as opposed to a support activity—where HR has historically been characterized in organizational hierarchies. Drawing on nearly 20 years of Oil and Gas experience across Africa, the Middle East, and North America, Mulwa has pioneered dual-lens approaches that blend financial insight with human capital development. Her work demonstrates that in high-stakes offshore environments, investing strategically in people can directly drive performance, innovation, and operational resilience.

Ellen Warren: Rose, your career has given you significant opportunities to lead Oil and Gas industry HR strategies across multiple continents and operational settings, including multi-billion-dollar offshore initiatives. How have those diverse experiences shaped your approach to workforce management in the Gulf of Mexico?

Rose Mulwa: Every place I have worked has taught me something different about how people and performance connect. In Africa, I focused on hiring and growing local talent. This helped reduce the need for bringing in people from other countries and strengthened our relationships with local communities. In the Middle East, I learned how to work quickly adjust the workforce to fast-changing situations, especially when things were under pressure. Now, in the Gulf of Mexico, I use everything I have learned from around the world while staying tuned in to what works locally. Offshore work here is very specialized. It involves deep-sea drilling, advanced imaging, and working in high-pressure environments. Meeting these needs is not just about hiring people—it is about building smart systems that prepare for future skills, keep people safe, and make sure operations run smoothly. I use both data and human insight. I rely on analytics to guide decisions, but I also pay close attention to how culture and people’s abilities affect performance, especially when the stakes are high.

EW: You have written about the importance of viewing HR through a financial lens. What do you mean by this, and how does this perspective help HR professionals gain credibility and influence in business decision-making?

RM: When I advise looking at HR from a financial point of view, I mean I treat decisions about people the same way I would treat any business decision, thinking carefully about the cost and the value it brings. Because I have a background in finance—I am a certified accountant through ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), and I entered the energy industry as an accountant and financial administrator—I know how to measure what HR actually contributes. That includes things like how much it costs when people leave, how training programs pay off, and how planning ahead for staffing helps protect revenue and keep projects on track.

For example, in offshore operations, using financial analysis helped us lower open positions by 25% and keep big, expensive projects on schedule. That kind of information makes sense to the company’s executive leaders. When HR can show that employee programs help reduce turnover costs or that better staffing decisions lead to higher profits, we’re no longer seen as just a support team. We become a key part of the business strategy. Understanding the financial side gives HR a stronger voice and helps us influence decisions that benefit both the people and the company.

EW: You advocate for treating talent as a strategic asset, and prioritizing workforce strategy as a business imperative. How do you gain buy-in from executives to adopt this approach? How can HR leaders help their organizations remain agile while still delivering operational excellence and safety?

RM: To get support from company leaders, HR needs to talk in a way that connects with the business goals. People often see talent as just a cost, so I focus on showing how it directly affects things like revenue, efficiency, and risk. For example, even a small, one percent improvement in employee retention can save a lot of money on hiring and training new people. That kind of impact is easier for leaders to understand than just talking about company culture.

Being flexible doesn’t mean constantly changing things. It means being ready. We build skilled and adaptable teams by encouraging ongoing learning, growing strong leaders, and training people to work across different areas. At the same time, we never compromise on safety or quality. We include wellness programs, real-time feedback, and a strong safety culture to make sure flexibility doesn’t come at the cost of employee health or following the rules. When business leaders see that a smart workforce strategy helps avoid problems and boosts performance, they start to see HR as a key part of building a strong, successful company for the long run.

EW: You emphasize the role of predictive analytics in workforce planning, particularly in aligning workforce capabilities with project timelines. What are some practical ways that energy companies can use AI or data-driven tools to anticipate talent needs before they become critical gaps?

RM: Companies can use data tools to help plan ahead instead of just reacting when hiring needs pop up. This is especially important in energy, where projects can last for years and require very specific technical skills. I use AI tools to match future project needs with the people and skills we’ll need—well before the work starts. You may look at things like how many people might retire, how long training takes, and how likely people are to leave. That helps spot when key roles like drilling engineers or technical specialists might become hard to fill.

Predictive analytics are very beneficial in scenario planning. By putting in project timelines, market trends, and client needs, companies can figure out what skills and how many people we’ll need at each stage, sometimes years in advance. This avoids scrambling at the last minute to fill roles and thus can avoid delays. Additionally, AI helps integrate outside labor market information with our own data on performance and skills. This gives us early warnings when we might be short on certain capabilities. Then we can work with leaders to start reskilling or recruiting before those gaps affect delivery.

EW: The importance of leadership development is a recurring theme in your work. What does an effective leadership pipeline look like in offshore operations, and how do you ensure it remains resilient over time?

RM: In offshore work, good leadership isn’t just about supervising, it’s about making smart decisions in tough situations where safety, keeping things running, and managing costs all come together. To build strong leaders, I try to spot potential early. I look at performance, feedback, and hands-on experience to find people who could grow into leadership roles before there’s even a vacancy. This enables us to start preparing them ahead of time. We help potential leaders grow by giving them different experiences, such as working in various roles, teaming up with other departments, and going through leadership training. This helps them learn how to think on their feet and lead confidently when things get challenging.

To keep the leadership pipeline strong over time, we plan for the long haul. Offshore projects can last for years, so we make sure things like mentoring, sharing knowledge, and having backup plans are part of everyday work. This strategy positions us to be always ready, and we keep both performance and team culture strong.

EW: Among the workforce principles that you have developed over the past two decades, you believe that investing in and integrating local talent is a key to strengthening continuity and building long-term resilience. How can operators balance global expertise with regional workforce development goals?

RM: To get the right balance between global expertise and local workforce development, you need to be intentional and have a clear plan. From what I have seen, long-term success comes when companies bring in global know-how but also invest in growing local talent. Experts from around the world are great for sharing advanced technical skills and making sure we meet international standards, especially in complex areas like deep drilling or seismic work, but it’s the local teams that keep things running smoothly over time.

When we train and promote local talent, we rely less on expatriates, save on travel and relocation costs, and build stronger relationships with local communities and regulators. The best approach is a mix: bring in global experts to set things up, then focus on passing that knowledge to local teams through mentoring, hands-on training, and clear career paths. This keeps operations strong while also building trust and supporting local economic growth.

EW: Digital transformation and AI are rapidly reshaping HR functions. From your perspective, what digital capabilities will be essential for HR teams in oil and gas over the next five years?

RM: AI and digital tools are changing how HR works, especially in oil and gas. Over the next few years, two things will be really important. First, we need a clear picture of skills intelligence: what skills people have, like technical know-how, safety training, or leadership abilities. With smart systems, we can quickly see who’s ready for what job and where they are located. This helps us move people around faster, close skill gaps sooner, and offer training that fits each person, keeping them motivated and improving how they perform. 

Second, predictive workforce planning allows us to use data to plan ahead. AI can help us predict things like when people might retire or when their certifications will expire, so we can act early and avoid problems. For example, if we know a crew’s certification will expire in six months, we can schedule re-training or bring in others before it affects operations. These tools help HR stay ahead of issues and keep everything running smoothly and safely. Together, these capabilities turn HR into a forward-looking engine for operational readiness and resilience. 

EW: After launching your career in accounting, you earned a Master’s degree in Leadership and Human Resources Development with a focus on Workforce Development from Louisiana State University and are an expert in training. What advice would you offer to emerging HR professionals who want to build strategic, globally relevant careers in the energy sector?

RM: First, develop range—I believe it is critical to build depth in HR along with breadth in business. Having a strong knowledge base in finance, operations, and project economics will make you a more credible partner. Being able to show that you understand how projects make money will help you earn trust. 

Next, get comfortable with technology early. HR is becoming more data-driven, so knowing how to read and use data is now a basic skill. 

Lastly, always lead with empathy and honesty. This industry runs on trust, and people follow leaders who genuinely care. Stay curious about the world. The best HR professionals I’ve worked with know how to lead across different cultures, teams, and countries. That global mindset is what helps you grow from being just an HR expert to becoming a true strategic leader.

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