21 August 2024
Alban BILLAUD – General Manager
Interview
1) What has been your career path so far?
Summing up a 20-year career in the same company is almost like summing up a lifetime! All things considered, I would mention 3 milestones in my career at LDA, starting with my early days as a trainee and cadet in the merchant marine. This period of training gave me a taste for the diversity of missions: bulk carriers, cable-laying vessels, ro-ro ships, seismic prospecting… so many ships where I had the opportunity to work as a lieutenant, mechanical officer, and then cable officer. I was called back to shore in 2011, when I was offered a position as Deputy Head of the QHSE department. Few years later, in 2017, I was appointed to what would later become the Renewable Business Unit. In charge of developing the SOV market, I took part in the Orsted call for tenders, closely followed by another one dedicated to CTVs to be operated for French customers EDF and GE. This turning point, far from being purely personal, laid the foundations for the renewable activities that are now at the heart of the Group’s development strategy.
2) Could you tell us more about your current role and missions?
The Group’s CTV activity, based in La Turballe under the name LD Tide, now has a fleet of 5 vessels – the INNO’VENT, the MOTI’VENT, the CAPTI’VENT, the ACTI’VENT and the ESTIVENT – which I supervise as General Manager. In fact, my job involves organizational engineering between offshore and onshore operations, to meet the maintenance needs of offshore wind farms. This combines technical, logistical, managerial and recruitment expertise. It’s more rewarding because some of the members of LD TIDE have already been working together on board.
4) What do you like the most in your job?
The diversity of subjects, in terms of both content and form, whether commercial, contractual, technical, or human challenges. The fact that we must think about the future, too. Having to anticipate the solutions we can offer our customers in the inevitable context of the energy transition. The challenges are numerous and constantly renewed, and I’m trusted every time to solve them. In fact, it’s this climate of trust and the accessibility of the teams, boosted by the human scale of the Group, that is highly valuable at LDA.
5) Could you list 3 must-have qualities for this job?
At the risk of repeating myself I would say trust, kindness, and team spirit. I’m convinced that, more than achieving performance, it’s above all managing to make sure every member of the same crew are working together.
6) What does the new LDA tagline, “We sail for the next generation”, inspire you?
Our work today is already having a major impact on future generations – sailors, the environment and society. While it supports the energy transition, our mission also defends the idea of transmission: that of history, know-how and truly professional expertise.
7) Family, Driving, Pioneering or Teams Spirit: which one of LDA values seems to be yours? Why?
Team Spirit. In the maritime industry, it’s hard to make progress if you don’t have team spirit. In fact, it’s impossible!
8) If you could give some advice to someone who is wishing to pursue a career in the maritime industry, what would it be?
A career in the maritime industry gives you the opportunity to take on responsibilities quickly. You can work in lots of different departments because the range of jobs is so broad. As you’ll have realized, by staying with the same company, I’ve personally been able to carry out different functions – and I’m not the only example of this. As someone who loves to create, I hope that everyone will be able to grow and develop as much as I was (and still am!) able to do at Louis Dreyfus Armateurs.
9) What is your motto?
In the adrenalin of the tendering process, I used to like saying, “Be careful, there’s always a chance of success”. In the end – and several times over – this proved to be true! More seriously, “Team spirit, anywhere and anytime”.