Ian Sug

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Get to know Ian Sug, YPAC President & CEO

How do you think the Canadian pipeline industry will change in the future?

From facilitating global coal-to-gas conversion to potentially enabling the hydrogen economy, there are substantial opportunities that lie ahead for the world-leading Canadian pipeline industry in the era of energy transition. In capturing such opportunities, ‘collaboration’ will be an increasingly important element in the future. From stronger partnerships among industry players for de-risking innovative and clean technologies to deeper collaboration with Indigenous communities in defining strategies, plans, and actions together, there is a lot of effort that will need to be made as the industry looks forward to the future. I am convinced that the Canadian pipeline industry will be able to achieve this, and through such collective effort, the industry will be able to create a meaningful platform for long-term development and prosperity that serves everyone in our society for decades to come. I also believe that more and more young professionals will be at the forefront of this effort, with their energy and new ideas, to transform the industry for the better!

Why did you join Young Pipeliners?

Younger generations’ increasingly negative perception towards the energy pipeline industry is a clear problem very much experienced by the industry companies and professionals. This on-going trend poses an unprecedented challenge for the Canadian pipeline industry in attracting, retaining, and developing future leaders who will 1) bring new ideas and perspectives to improve the industry for the better and 2) sustain the industry’s important pursuit of safely and responsibly delivering energy that our society relies on. Young Pipeliners has an ambitious vision to tackle this very problem, and I was convinced that contributing to achieving such vision would be a meaningful endeavor as a young industry professional!

From who or from where do you draw inspiration?

Reading is the biggest source of my inspiration. For energy related topics, my favorites have been the ones written by Vaclav Smil and Peter Tertzakian. Outside of energy-related topics, I like to read and draw inspiration from non-fiction books on a wide range of subjects. I am currently reading “let my people go surfing” by Yvon Chouinard – the founder of Patagonia. I am learning more about how he was able to build a leading sustainable organization long before sustainability became an emerging business topic globally!

When you’re flying, are you all about the window seat or the aisle seat?

Unless it is an overnight flight, I prefer the aisle seat. Disconnected from the internet, I am able to take the time to read and focus on things that I’ve been meaning to get done, so I prefer to avoid the temptation of leaning to the wall by the window seat and falling asleep!

How would you spend an afternoon in a new city?

I would be having a coffee at a small local café and making a spreadsheet list of places to go to, things to do, and restaurants to visit.