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testimonials
Tonny Constantin Popescu
Senior Director for Oil Gas Service, Semco Maritime
Tonny Constantin Popescu is a Senior Director at Semco Maritime, specializing in oil and gas services. Semco Maritime is headquartered in Esbjerg and is a leading supplier to the offshore sector in Denmark and abroad, as well as to the energy sector both offshore and onshore. The company has approximately 2,400 employees and operates not only in Denmark but also in Norway, the United Kingdom, Poland, Dubai, Singapore, Central America, the USA, and Taiwan.
Tonny Constantin Popescu is a Senior Director at Semco Maritime, specializing in oil and gas services. Semco Maritime, headquartered in Esbjerg, is a leading supplier to the offshore sector in Denmark and abroad, as well as to the energy sector both offshore and onshore. The company has approximately 2,400 employees and operates in Norway, the United Kingdom, Poland, Dubai, Singapore, Central America, the USA, and Taiwan, in addition to Denmark.
Tonny Popescu heads a department of roughly 200 employees responsible for the maintenance, modifications, instrumentation, and surface treatment of onshore and offshore facilities. An expanded area of responsibility and an increased focus on leadership were also the reasons he recently chose to participate in the Executive Management Programme, with the first module taking place in Denmark and the following two at the French business school INSEAD.
“Throughout my career, I’ve pursued further education, but I’ve never participated in a program with the same level of detail in terms of inspiration and tools for initiating new initiatives, as well as analyzing and rethinking strategies. It was important for me to gain a holistic perspective and become skilled at conveying it to my employees so they can also contribute to developing and implementing the strategies. Strategies need to be ‘broken down’ and communicated clearly and precisely. This way, you establish pathways that aren’t just ‘top-down,’ but involve everyone. I believe that broad engagement and understanding of the direction create greater ownership when it comes to development and execution.”
Part of the ‘A-Team’
Tonny Popescu describes the educational program as extremely enriching, with many exciting and talented participants from a wide range of industries.
“We all felt, jokingly, that we were part of the ‘A-Team,’ because everyone was interested in each other, leading to many professional and enlightening discussions. Whether you’re a municipal director, in hospital management, or operating in the energy sector, the common denominator has been the desire to continue working on strategy, leadership, employee development, and culture. This camaraderie has provided me with a very strong and broad network, and it’s a huge advantage to have seen and heard the same things—we’ve developed a shared language,” he says, adding:
“The level of the education was incredibly high—from the first module in Kolding, where we got a taste of the quality of the entire executive program, to INSEAD. The program offered a consistent thread throughout the course, connecting the three fundamental pillars: leadership, strategy, and innovation.
Additionally, the project collaboration on one of the participants’ companies between modules 2 and 3 was very beneficial. The case study we worked on is something I can apply significantly to my own situation, and it has provided me with a solid foundation. It was also fascinating to analyze and develop a new direction for a completely different type of company, together with a team of individuals with very diverse backgrounds.”
The Semco director highlights three key learnings that will be important for him and his leadership moving forward.
“First and foremost, the program has changed me both as a leader and as a person. You shouldn’t worry about not remembering every single slide, because there’s a natural process where you make an effort to absorb the learning and put it into practice from the start. Overall, the focus should be on the connection between the current state and where you want to focus going forward, and this has definitely changed the way I observe and act. Additionally, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the mechanisms and dynamics that underpin how a company can evolve. Finally, I’ve become more aware of the interplay between culture and organization, and how crucial this parameter is for attracting talented employees and maintaining the ability to constantly develop and adapt,” he says, concluding:
“I feel that I’ve received a valuable boost with new knowledge and tools that allow me to approach things in a completely new way. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. The Scandinavian Executive Institute’s INSEAD program has been enriching in every respect.”
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INSEAD is one of the world’s leading graduate business schools for executives. The French-based but globally oriented institution brings together people, cultures, and ideas from around the world to develop leaders and transform organizations through research, thought leadership, and teaching.
