How AI Is Reshaping Shutdown and Turnaround Operations - with Raghu Ahobilam of NOV (24 min)
- Release date: 2026-03-03
- Listen on Spotify: Open episode
- Episode description:
Today's guest is Raghu Ahobilam, Global Director of Inventory and Assets at NOV. Raghu brings global leadership experience across inventory management, asset strategy, and operational transformation in the energy and industrial manufacturing sector. Raghu joins Daniel Faggella Emerj CEO and Head of Research to examine how enterprise data foundations and emerging AI capabilities are reshaping maintenance, asset utilization, and cross-functional decision-making in complex, legacy environments. Raghu also shares practical approaches to building KPI-driven dashboards, prioritizing predictive use cases, improving asset deployment across regions, and strengthening business cases for ROI across supply chain, manufacturing, and operations. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the 'AI in Business' podcast! If you're interested in unlocking our AI best practice guides, frameworks for AI ROI, and specific resources for AI consultants, visit emerj.com/p1
Summary
- 📊 Align to Metrics: Define excellence through scorecards tied to vision using tools like Hoshin Kanri, ensuring AI initiatives drive measurable operational outcomes.
- 🔮 Predictive Power: Leverage predictive analytics to anticipate rig activity fluctuations in cyclical energy markets, minimizing downtime and surprises.
- 🚧 Overcome Barriers: Address adoption delays in legacy sectors by setting realistic timelines, avoiding overwhelm, and focusing on business-relevant AI value.
- 👥 Champions Unite: Secure functional champions, IT support, and C-suite buy-in to break resistance and align digital projects with strategy.
- 💼 ROI-Focused Cases: Tailor business cases to functions like supply chain cash cycles or manufacturing health, benchmarking for prioritized, high-return AI investments.
Insights
How does Hoshin Kanri bridge corporate vision to actionable, AI-ready metrics in inventory management?
Time: 4:05 – 4:37
Category: AI-Driven Innovation EconomyAnswer: Raghu explains Hoshin Kanri as a Lean Six Sigma tool that starts with company objectives and breaks them into quantifiable metrics across organizational levels, enabling trusted dashboards and predictive AI workflows. This approach ensures daily operations align with strategic goals, vital for legacy industries transitioning to data-driven decisions. (Start at 4:05)
Where is predictive analytics first transforming maintenance in the volatile energy sector?
Time: 7:31 – 8:58
Category: AI-Driven Innovation EconomyAnswer: In energy’s cyclical nature with geopolitical influences on rig activity, predictive tools anticipate downtime and inventory needs, moving beyond reactive measures. This early adoption helps avoid surprises, optimizing global fleets and reducing costs. (Start at 7:31)
What barriers slow AI adoption in legacy industries like energy, and how can leaders overcome them?
Time: 9:13 – 10:29
Category: AI in Workforce DisruptionAnswer: Challenges include time for workforce upskilling across diverse backgrounds, legacy systems, and avoiding tech overwhelm by focusing on business-specific value. Realistic timelines and filtering insights prevent failure in execution-heavy AI projects. (Start at 9:13)
Why are change champions and C-suite support essential for AI-driven digital transformation in energy?
Time: 11:25 – 12:56
Category: AI Investment TrendsAnswer: Champions reduce resistance, while executive alignment ties initiatives to company strategy, navigating industry nuances. This cross-functional buy-in mirrors other sectors but accelerates progress in conservative environments. (Start at 11:25)
How do function-specific ROI metrics justify AI investments in energy operations?
Time: 14:16 – 16:09
Category: AI Investment TrendsAnswer: Supply chain prioritizes cash flow cycles, manufacturing targets downtime reduction, and operations focus on profitability—each linking to overarching goals. Benchmarking peers aids prioritization, ensuring high-impact use cases. (Start at 14:16)
How have digital dashboards unlocked efficiencies in global asset and facility management?
Time: 17:59 – 20:52
Category: AI-Driven Innovation EconomyAnswer: Real examples include consolidating manufacturing facilities without missing shipments via ERP integration and optimizing tool fleets for revenue maximization. These build scalable capability layers for ongoing AI enhancements. (Start at 17:59)