/ Operating on all the world's oceans
From its headquarters in Arendal, OSM manages more than 11,000 seafarers, and some landlubbers, around the world.
- We have 30 offices on five continents. It could hardly be more international," says CEO Geir Sekkesæter.
In the waterfront premises just outside the center of Arendal, the OSM CEO stands with a group of employees who illustrate the global perspective of the company.
Ernesto Miguel Yandoc is from the Philippines and has worked for OSM in Manila for a few years. Now he and his family have just moved to Arendal, where Ernesto will develop a new global intranet.
Synnøve Henriksen is from Kristiansand and worked in Arendal until last January. Then she took a temporary assignment for OSM in Cyprus, and enjoyed it so much that she has now been transferred permanently to the Cyprus office.
Tomasz Glowacki is from Poland and has been working in procurement and logistics for OSM since 2013, first in the Netherlands and later in Germany, but is now established in the Arendal office.
- These are three excellent examples of the skills our staff possess. At the same time, they underline the mobility of both the company and its people. "We are a team that is used to being on the move whenever and wherever needed - and we have the whole world as our home turf," says Sekkesæter.
OSM is global (from left): Ernesto Miguel Yandoc from the Philippines, Synnøve Henriksen working at the Cyprus office, Geir Sekkesæter, Managing Director from Oslo, Hildegunn L. Holtan from Kr.sand and Tomasz Glowacki from Poland
People and skills
The vast majority of OSM - more than 11,000 employees - are seafarers. OSM depends on shipowners who outsource the operation of their ships. And there are many such shipowners. Currently, OSM provides services to more than 500 ships and offshore units.
- We find good people with the right skills, or we train good people and give them the right skills, so they can operate ships in a way that takes care of the enormous values that shipowners entrust to us," Sekkesæter explains.
The largest workplace in OSM is in the Philippines. Other major offices are Singapore, Cyprus and Arendal.
- It is no coincidence that the company was established and is still headquartered in Arendal. The town has a long tradition in shipping, as does the rest of southern Norway. The maritime roots in the region mean that we have access to a number of ex-sailors, who provide us with core expertise," says Sekkesæter.
Thinking globally
Many are attracted by the international dimension. OSM staff in Arendal like the fact that they do not always sit in Arendal and do not always talk to other people in Arendal, but that they sometimes - or often - have to travel, that the working language is English and that colleagues are located all over the world.
- We travel a lot, of course, but we are also big users of Skype. Just today I have already spoken to Xanthos in Cyprus, Aaron in the Philippines, Kayla in Houston and Shubpreet in Singapore," says Hildegunn Løken Holtan, Head of Communications.
OSM is more than manning. The company has technical expertise that assists owners in operating their ships and offshore installations as efficiently as possible. High technical competence is always in demand.
- Right now we are looking for technical inspectors and a platform manager, among others. We offer exciting work tasks and good development opportunities for ambitious people," says Holtan.
Employees must be interested in being part of global teams.
- We are looking for committed people who are keen to get the job done. If you can only work between 8 am and 4 pm Norwegian time, that's a challenge for us. The boats run around the clock, all year round - and that also characterizes our national organization," says Sekkesæter.
