One of the ways the company is helping to realise this ambitious vision is through employing more locals in its workforce, said Normah binti Ahmad, Progresif’s Government Relationship Manager, yesterday during the 14th Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration where Progresif was one of the participating exhibitors.
“When Progresif first started, we only had about 123 employees and currently we have under our employment 263 staff where 95 per cent are locals, and this is not the only progress we are making, but god willing, Progresif will be providing more sophisticated technology with the bringing in of the 4G network,” Normah told the Bulletin.
Progresif has also been active in supporting a number of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities – mostly colla-borating with parties such as Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), where it has started constructing a new building to help young entrepreneurs, she noted.
One of the recent successes from such collaborations is DART – Brunei’s first taxi and ride booking service app – while Progresif has also assisted a select group of UBD students with their car-making project.
These aside, Normah also highlighted that it is Progresif’s hope to step onto the international arena by marketing Progresif not just as Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd, but as a Bruneian product.
The opening of its branch at the Brunei International Airport has helped support Brunei’s Tourism Development Department’s efforts in promoting tourism to the country, with Progresif offering a number of attractive mobile packages for tourists coming into Brunei.
“We are also in support of education in Brunei with the offering of our data plan for students; these are the two areas that Progresif takes pride in as the response has been very encouraging and positive,” she added.
She further disclosed that the company is aiming to grab 30 per cent of the market, stating that it plans to achieve this by constantly innovating and progressing in terms of their offered products and technologies.
“This is part of the initiative towards creating a 100 per cent local workforce as we move forward; a key aspect of BGC at present is the development of Bruneian seafarers from cadet level all the way up to top-ranking officers.
“BGC’s current business opportunities are centred on the provision of shipping services to Brunei LNG – to help in the export of LNG to customers in the region. Today, we do that safely and reliably – a key aspect of our day-to-day work, which goes hand in hand with the development of a skilled Bruneian crew.”
BGC’s short term target is to become a fully-fledged self-functioning ship owner and ship manager by 2020.
It currently has a close working relationship with Shell, which provides them with operational support.
“At the same time it is also about looking at other aspects of shipping within Brunei where (BGC) can help grow and perhaps diversify its business to help support some of the ongoing developments, such as Hengyi Industries in Muara or (providing) maritime expertise to the Brunei Marine Department,” said the managing director.
“We aim to be the leading developer of local shipping and maritime skills, and we will grow BGC in support of Brunei Vision 2035.”
Borneo Bulletin