Meet Rudy Marjorie, a Production Superintendent working in the heart of Africa’s oil and gas field, where precision meets pressure. With confidence and skill, she navigates one of the world’s most demanding industries, ensuring operations run seamlessly while challenging long-held gender stereotypes.
Hi Rudy. Thank you for joining us today. We are excited to have this session with you
Thank you for reaching out. It is a pleasure for me to share my STEM journey through Words That Count.
Thank you!
Let’s start with a brief introduction about yourself
My name is Rudy Marjorie Ossia-Mboula from Gabon. I am a Production Superintendent at Gamba Oil and Gas Terminal under Assala Energy. I am also an entrepreneur and a speaker.
Please walk us through your journey into the Oil and Gas industry
I was born and raised in the 90s in Libreville, Gabon. As a young girl, I always envisioned myself on a podium, speaking to a crowd. Engineering was not in my plan at that time, and the only thing I could refer Oil and Gas to was a gas station.
Since I was polyvalent at school, I decided to take a scientific path, convinced that it would give me more opportunities in the future. After secondary school, I flew to France in 2009 to study electrical engineering. I came back to Gabon in 2014 after my graduation and faced the reality of unemployment. Since I became a mum of twins during my engineering studies, giving up was not an option. I decided to go to Port-Gentil and look for a job in the oil and gas sector. At that time, it was the only sector that was recruiting. That’s how my journey in Oil and Gas started.
I still remember my first interview. Although I didn’t have an oil and gas degree, I trusted the desire to learn and improve my skills. I walked into that room full of confidence, telling myself, “If I don’t get the job, at least I will learn something to help me prepare for the next interview better”. It turned out to be the most engaging interview of my entire career, and I got hired. I first worked in drilling for Weatherford, then wireline logging for Halliburton, and then production operations for Shell Gabon (which became Assala Gabon in 2017).
My career in Oil and Gas so far has been a journey of learning and progress. After working in all the company sites (5) as a Production Engineer, I became a Production Superintendent of one of the 2 onshore Oil Terminals in Gabon. I have 80+ people under my direct and indirect supervision, and I oversee several disciplines such as Terminal and Field operations, Production Engineering, Metallic construction, Operation chemistry, and Inspection.
In parallel, working as a rotator gave me enough flexibility to become an entrepreneur and a conference speaker. That international exposure helped me develop additional leadership skills and changed my approach to fossil and renewable energy in Africa. I became a mentor in green entrepreneurship with the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program. I decided to join tables of influence at high-profile events/platforms to propose a new approach to the energetic mix.
What are some of the challenges you have faced in this oil and gas journey?
The most significant challenges I had to face were mentally-related.
The first one is misogynism because I work in a male-dominated environment. It happened a lot in my beginnings; I face it less now that I have broken the glass ceiling and sat around tables of influence. I don’t believe that talent and competence are gender-based, so those words and behavior didn’t get into my head. On the contrary, I used them as a fuel to write a success story of a female key player in my industry.
The other challenge I had to face was impostor syndrome. That reflected in endless working time, sleepless nights, overthinking, and perfectionism. I thought I had no right to make a mistake. It got to the point where I decided to put an end to this for the sake of my mental and physical health. I did it by understanding and believing that “I am good and competent enough to belong here”. Those simple yet powerful words were key to me then, and I still use that mantra today.
What is your source of inspiration amidst all these challenges?
At first, I did it for financial security. As I kept moving forward, I started building a vision for the future of fossil fuels and energy transition in Africa, and I joined panafrican projects and initiatives. I am also driven by the positive impact that I have on young Africans who are inspired by my journey so far. I understand that our continent needs role models of all kinds and sectors, and I am here to give them enough courage to stand up for their dreams.
Tell us about some of your most prestigious moments in this oil and gas journey
In 2021, I became an Alumnus of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program and a finalist of the entrepreneurship competition WIA54. In 2022, I completed the Yali Dakar Leadership Program. I became a Mandela Washington Fellow and WIA Young Leader in 2023. In 2024, I was invited to the Presidential Palace by the 1st Lady in recognition of my leadership achievements. This led to my appointment as a member of the steering committee of the Assala Women Network.
For this year, 2025, I attended the Forbes 30-50 summit, technico-political roundtables at the Africa CEO Forum, and I spoke at the TEDxAngondje first edition. Over the years, I have become a mentor for entrepreneurship programs like WIA Femmes d’avenir and Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program.
Who is Rudy outside of work?
I am a creative person, passionate about African culture. I like walking in nature and traveling. Being a mum and spending quality time with my children is also something I enjoy very much. One last thing I enjoy doing is donating to orphans.
What is your favorite quote?
“Force your luck, embrace your happiness, and take your risk. They’ll get used to watching you” ~ René Char.
What are your words of encouragement for a young girl who is interested in joining the oil and gas industry?
You belong here! Get inside the room and sit at the table.
Thank you very much, Rudy, for sharing part of your story about how you joined the oil and gas industry. Your journey shows a deep commitment to proving that women belong wherever excellence is required, even in the toughest corners of the oil and gas sector. We are honored to write about you and wish you the best in your career.
