Hussain Tadayon not only has a successful career with Bapco spanning almost half a century to look back on, but also recognition for his achievements by His Majesty King Hamad.

While it is impossible for Hussain Tadayon to recall everything that happened in an illustrious oil industry career that led him to becoming the first Bahraini head of Bapco, he will always treasure being honoured by HM the King during the recent National Day celebrations.

“I felt very honoured; this was recognition from the highest authority for the efforts that I put into my work,” he says. “I did this work as part of my duty, and to be recognised is really a privilege and I feel very grateful to His Majesty for this.”

Hussain’s career began in 1957 after a Bapco representative had visited his school. His early years with the company were enriched by studies that included a four-year apprenticeship focussing on both academic and on-the-job requirements of working in a refinery, with him spending some time in the United Kingdom where he completed.

A levels before going on to graduate with a BSc Honours degree in electrical engineering.

Returning to Bahrain in 1967, Hussain then started working in power and utilities that enabled him to develop his engineering discipline and eventually led to him becoming the first Bahraini technical manager within Bapco.

Ever keen to learn more and mentored by many of the expatriate managers, Hussein early on identified that it was imperative to have professional ethics. “You need to reward people for their good work, regardless of their background,” he says. “Human beings need to be nourished in order to get the best out of them.”

Always challenging, always breaking new ground, Hussain’s career continued to develop as he embarked on an executive management programme in New York, with this experience providing him with “a broader perspective, witnessing first hand the global oil enterprise.”

In 1979, he returned to Bahrain and was appointed as manager of oil processing – the heart of Bapco’s operation – with this a major challenge, and once more he was the first Bahraini to hold the position.

Two years later Hussain took over as Bapco’s general manager of refining, in 2002 this led to him being named Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and the following year he was appointed Chief Executive Officer which he describes as his “biggest achievement.”

On his retirement as CEO earlier last year, Hussain said having worked hard on successfully developing Bahrainis to take over from expatriate managers “the work I have embarked on will continue even though I am no longer CEO. The Bahrainis are the future and are ready and willing to learn and do the work.”

With Bahrainis making up 87 percent of the Bapco workforce on his retirement, his advice to others joining the company was for them to “exercise strong human values including integrity and honesty. People should feel comfortable questioning what they are doing and why they are doing it. In understanding the reasons they will be motivated to find a better way.”

On his retirement he was appointed technical adviser to the board, with his company knowledge second to none, for during his career he had not only spearheaded the company’s modernisation project but additionally helped master plan its further expansion.

A dynamic leader, Hussein has always been interested in encouraging the development of fellow employees, and simply advises “you must lead by example.

“In business you need high ethical and moral values. You should never hesitate to take decisions, and it is essential not to procrastinate,” he says.

“In addition teamwork is essential for a business to work effectively. As a leader, you must innovate as individuals, but execute management decisions collectively.” His footprints of morality, honesty and integrity live on, for his personal efforts and input over many decades of a career that started on the bottom rung have had an integral affect on many who crossed his path.