New Delhi: At the ET Energy Leadership Summit 2026, Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL (India) Limited, shared his views on building a future-ready workforce in the oil and gas sector during a fireside chat organised.
Speaking on “Capability 2.0 – Building the Future-Ready Oil & Gas Professional,” Gupta highlighted the need for organisations to balance the experience and capabilities of existing employees with opportunities for them to take on new challenges and explore emerging areas.
He also emphasised the importance of bringing specialised external expertise across different domains while continuously developing internal talent.
AI Adoption Is the Need of the Hour
Gupta highlighted the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in preparing employees for the changing workplace.
He said AI adoption is particularly important in areas such as training and development, where organisations can use emerging technologies to improve learning and employee engagement.
He encouraged organisations to experiment with AI and adopt best practices to continuously engage their workforce and equip employees with capabilities needed for the future.
Key areas highlighted included:
- AI-led training and development
- Continuous employee engagement
- Adoption of emerging technologies
- Experimentation with new approaches
- Sharing and adopting industry best practices
Read also: GAIL Wins Prestigious ET Energy Leadership Award 2026 for Excellence in Oil & Gas Sector
Balancing Experience With New Talent
Gupta stressed the importance of leveraging the experience and capabilities of existing employees while also creating opportunities for them to take on new challenges.
He said organisations need to encourage employees to explore emerging areas and develop new capabilities rather than relying only on established ways of working.
At the same time, specialised external expertise can help organisations address emerging requirements and bring new perspectives across different domains.
This combination of internal experience, new talent and specialised expertise can help organisations build stronger and more adaptable teams.
Safety Remains Non-Negotiable in Oil and Gas
Operational safety and effective controls remain critical in the oil and gas sector, Gupta emphasised.
While organisations need to remain agile and make decisions quickly, he said this agility must always be accompanied by a zero-tolerance approach to safety.
The sector’s operational environment requires employees and leaders to maintain strong safety standards while responding efficiently to changing business and operational requirements.
Ayush Gupta Calls for Trust and Mentorship
Sharing a message for industry leaders, Gupta emphasised the importance of trusting new talent and challenging young professionals to bring out their best.
He highlighted the role of leaders and senior professionals in providing appropriate:
- Mentorship
- Guidance
- Handholding
- Opportunities to take responsibility
- Support for experimentation and innovation
According to Gupta, giving new talent the right environment to learn and perform can help organisations build future leadership capabilities.
GAIL Encourages Employees’ Spouses to Pursue Entrepreneurship
Gupta also highlighted a unique initiative undertaken by GAIL to engage employees’ spouses and encourage them to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.
The initiative seeks to support employees’ spouses in pursuing their aspirations while also promoting a culture of innovation and empowerment within the organisation.
By creating opportunities beyond the traditional workplace, the initiative aims to encourage entrepreneurship and help individuals explore their potential.
Building the Future-Ready Oil and Gas Professional
The discussion at the ET Energy Leadership Summit highlighted how workforce capabilities are evolving alongside technological and operational changes in the oil and gas sector.
Gupta’s perspectives focused on a combination of AI adoption, continuous learning, employee engagement, safety, mentorship and innovation.
The emphasis on developing both existing employees and new talent reflects the changing requirements of the energy industry, where organisations need skilled professionals capable of adapting to new technologies while maintaining high operational standards.
About GAIL
GAIL (India) Limited is India’s largest natural gas transmission and marketing company and a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The company operates across natural gas transmission, marketing, processing, petrochemicals and related energy businesses, while also expanding its focus on clean energy and sustainable growth.
