New Delhi: GAIL (India) Limited's Director (HR) Ayush Gupta participated in a panel discussion on “How Can Young Energy Professionals Maximise Career Longevity?” as part of the Future Leaders programme series at Gastech 2026.
Follow The PSUWatch Channel on WhatsApp
The session brought together energy-sector leaders and experts from India, Indonesia, the United States, Singapore and Nigeria to discuss how young professionals can build resilient and future-ready careers amid rapid technological and structural changes in the energy industry.
The discussion focused on key themes including continuous learning, energy transition, artificial intelligence, research and innovation, networking, mentorship, career mobility and organisational culture. The panel also highlighted the growing importance of combining domain expertise with digital, data and AI capabilities to remain relevant in an evolving energy landscape.
Gupta shared insights from his own career journey, which included a transition from engineering and technical operations to Human Resources. He highlighted how taking on an unfamiliar role, continuously acquiring new skills and developing new capabilities helped him navigate the career transition. His decision to pursue an MBA in Human Resources at around the age of 50 was cited as an example of how professional learning and development can continue at different stages of a career.
Follow PSU Watch on LinkedIN
he panel also discussed the importance of developing depth in a chosen domain while building breadth through cross-functional and lateral assignments. Participants underlined the role of PhD scholars and researchers in addressing industry-specific challenges, while also emphasising transferable skills and multidisciplinary capabilities.
The discussion further examined the role of organisations in developing future talent through meaningful assignments, training, mentorship, autonomy and opportunities to take ownership of real business challenges.
The overarching message from the session was that career longevity depends on continuous learning, adaptability and sustained value creation. Young energy professionals were encouraged to remain curious, seek mentorship and take greater ownership of their career development as the sector undergoes technological and structural transformation.
(PSU Watch is India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy. 👉 Click to join our channel now: PSUWatch WhatsApp Channel. Prefer LinkedIn? Follow PSU Watch on LinkedIN. Click to stay connected on Twitter here and stay updated)