Leon Lim Jin Yen: From Ampelmann operator to Team Lead Field Maintenance

Bringing experience and understanding from one position to the next

The company’s office in Brunei consists of nine full-time employees of whom Leon has been Team Lead Field Maintenance since last year. Back in 2014, he started as an Ampelmann operator and has seen first-hand how Ampelmann’s gangways have increased the safety standard in the offshore oil and gas industry “tenfold”.

“The best part of my job was seeing the confident smile on people’s faces while they crossed the motion compensated gangway. Especially when you compare that to the worrisome faces people used to have from using a swing rope or crew transfer basket back in the day,” he says.

Leon cheerfully looks back on his early days at Ampelmann, as “they were probably the best introduction I could have had. On my first job for the company, I helped to overhaul a previous version of the A-type." Throughout this project, he got to work closely with more than 10 colleagues and know the Ampelmann system inside out. It was that initial experience that would later lead him to maintenance.

After this constructive introduction, Leon spent many days on offshore rotations in different countries in the Asia region. “Every country is different - in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore it is always hot and humid,” he says, “and during monsoon it rains cats and dogs. In Russia, on the other hand, temperatures can be freezing, and winds can be strong.” The many different challenging conditions he faced offshore have taught him to efficiently take on challenges of many different kinds.

A new role with new opportunities

When the first Ampelmann L-type was being made ready for use in the region, Leon assisted in putting the system together in the yard in Kuala Belait. “Together with a team that flew in from our headquarters in The Netherlands, we did a great job in getting the system ready for operations in the region,” he recalls.

It was a hands-on, technical task that once again got him to work closely with an Ampelmann system and eventually led him to join the maintenance team as a technician. And as the demand for the company's systems grew in the region, his role – and that of the rest of the maintenance team - became even more crucial in keeping all systems performing according to the highest standards.

As of last year, Leon has been the lead for the Field Maintenance team in the region. As the business expands in the area, new and different types of projects await them. Leon is grateful for his team, as they have played an important role in his development. “I could not have gotten to where I am today without the experiences I’ve gathered since I first joined the company and the amazing colleagues and mentors that I’ve worked with.”

His personal values are well aligned with those of Ampelmann. “At the end of the day, all that matters is going to work and back home safely," he says. To make this a reality for all offshore workers, Leon and his team ensure Ampelmann’s systems are always performing at their best.

Get to know Leon

• Leon likes to go hiking with friends
• Spends time on the beach with his partner and dogs
• Goes on adventurous holiday trips abroad when he can

Due to covid-19 Leon has had to put his holiday plans on hold but he looks forward to his next adventure. “Brunei is a small country and we therefore like to find new experiences abroad. I always try to go for something adventurous, take part in exciting activities, try local street food or simply go sight-seeing.” He has visited Thailand, hiked Mount Hallasan in Korea and bungee jumped in New Zealand. “Hopefully, I can add more experiences to the list after travel restrictions are eased.”

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