Tokome’s advice on success: Work hard, be true to yourself

PUMA Energy country manager and director Hulala Tokome believes that being true to yourself and working hard are some of the key elements of being successful in the corporate world, and in life.
Tokome, who helms one of the country’s largest energy companies, is from a mix parentage of Petats Island, Buka, in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Arob) and Pam Island in Manus.
The eldest of three siblings, Tokome was educated in both Port Moresby and Bougainville and had to leave Arob due to Bougainville crisis.
He graduated with a bachelors in commerce, majoring in accounting, at the University of Technology in Lae, Morobe.
“I started work with British Petroleum as a graduate trainee for over a year,” Tokome said.
“I later transferred to British Petroleum in Melbourne, Australia, to work within BP Air for just under four years and moved back to PNG.
“I was appointed country HR manager with British Petroleum localising positions and being on the executive leadership team.
“From there, I moved through senior executive roles, including CFO (chief financial officer), and director roles within organisation to country general manager for PNG.
“I was determined to climb the corporate ladder and put into practice what I learned in school.
“I was always keen to take on additional tasks to learn quickly, seeking to absorb knowledge like a sponge without asking for compensation or expecting to be rewarded.
“I have always pushed myself, wanting to be better than yesterday and relevant for tomorrow.
“I believe two things are important to success – hard work and being true to yourself.
“I believe in setting achievable goals in life but always dreaming big.
“Nothing is given to you on a golden plate and there will always be challenges and failures so success is determined by how you deal with those reverses, learn from them and come out stronger.
“I think this applies to everybody individually, companies and even countries.
“There is no secret to this: hard work and sheer determination are essential ingredients to get you to where you want to be and achieve want you want in life.
“You also need to be honest and open to build support, advocates and partnerships because you can’t do it alone and people need to understand what you stand for.”
Tokome also believed that in business: “Some things are important everywhere such as a business environment with enabling regulations and rules that encourage business growth and provide a stable consistent platform for long term investment.
“This applies in Papua New Guinea which has specific challenges relating to law and order and diversification of the economy, particularly in promoting SME (small to medium enterprise) growth as the backbone for future success. Small to medium enterprices (SME) development is something we are working hard to support at Puma.
“The Covid-19 brought a lot of challenges.
“However, along with the pandemic, came opportunities and so adaptability, innovation and creativity are strong drivers of success in an environment such as Papua New Guinea.
“It is all about the customer and adding value through the range of products and services we offer, meeting evolving needs and doing that better than anybody else.
“A big part of this is introducing cleaner sustainable energy for people, improving lives and reducing the impact of climate change.
“Hydrocarbons will continue to be an essential energy resource for many years to come so the key for us is how we help reduce the carbon footprint through efficiencies and innovation which includes developing renewable energy alongside our traditional business.
“Our future energies business with solar solutions will be very important for us in reducing the carbon footprint of customers.
“In rural areas, we can improve lives and environment by introducing Puma gas to people using firewood or kerosene.
“For me, there are two things that are both aligned with the company’s objectives and values.
“Firstly, I want to play my part in building a national petroleum business that is recognised as a one-stop-shop energy provider for PNG and the Pacific.
“The second part is how you do that and I would like my legacy, and Puma’s legacy, to be synonymous with being open, honest and responsible, contributing to the national economy and seeking to improve the quality of people’s lives where we can.
“Being a one-stop-shop energy solutions provider through renewable and hydrocarbon energy solutions.”