Bon Voyage Captain Firdaus Bhathena!
Within Scorpio, you will find many employees who have stayed with the group for 15, 20 and even 30 years – something quite rare for companies these days. Among these lifelong ‘family members’ is Firdaus Bhathena, who has been with Scorpio for 35 years. At the end of February, after more than 30 years at sea and nearly 15 years as a shoreside director, Firdaus has taken his well-deserved retirement. Here, we look at the extraordinary career of this loving and caring man, whose honesty, integrity, and work ethic perfectly embodied Scorpio values.
Coming from a family of seafarers, his father, the first Indian pilot in the Indian Navy, and his elder brother in the Merchant Navy, Firdaus was destined to sail the seas. Named Best Cadet straight out of school, Firdaus joined an Indian shipping company. It didn’t take long for his skills and talent to get noticed. But as his family grew, he decided an international company would be more lucrative. Based on his performance, he was recommended to join Scorpio and flew from India straight to the arctic!
On 6 August, 1988, Firdaus Bhathena arrived in Finland, set to board the 3 Maj as 2nd Mate. It was there, at the port of Pori, that the young sailor waited to let an older gentleman with a hat come down the gangway, but the man insisted Firdaus come up first. The man with an Italian accent asked his rank, shook his hand, welcomed him onboard, and went on his way. This was the very first person Firdaus met at Scorpio and it would take years before he knew the man who shook his hand was none other than Mr. Glauco Lolli-Ghetti, the company’s founder.
When Firdaus was promoted to Captain in 1994 and brought to the Monaco office to meet Mr. Lolli-Ghetti, he got quite a surprise. The founder of Scorpio, a seasoned-business man and 1970 ‘Maritime Man of the Year’ instantly remembered Firdaus, got up from his desk and said: “You joined the 3 Maj in Pori, Finland.” Firdaus was astonished at Lolli-Ghetti remembering a sailor from all those years before. This is the root of Scorpio’s “human touch” that Capt. Firdaus refers to repeatedly, coming from the founder, transmitting through the company and perpetuated by his grandsons now at the helm.
The Scorpio Family
The culture of family goes beyond the leadership. Always looking to promote from within, Scorpio’s top positions are mostly filled with people who were once crew on our ships. As the company’s longest serving sailor, speaking with Firdaus about his early years with Scorpio is like listening to a documentary on the Who’s Who of the entire Group, with nearly all the senior executives having had a turn onboard with him.
As Chief Mate, Firdaus sailed with Vladimir (Miro) Mihalic, whose son, Dean, sailed as Capt. Firdaus’ Engine Cadet (Dean is now the Technical Director at SSM). As Chief Officer, Firdaus showed Francesco Bellusci around the ship on his first day onboard (Bellusci is now Scorpio’s Managing Director). Once Captain, Firdaus led a number of sailors, some of his Chief Officers include, Virender Punia, Anand Seth, Ankur Khedekar and Hemant Sondhi, all of whom are now ashore in senior management roles. Even a young Filippo Lauro, our Executive Vice President (and our CEO’s brother) sailed with Capt. Firdaus. What better example of a company ‘family’ than the proof of how long people stay, turning a seafaring job into a career.
Recalling fondly the ‘2nd generation’ period when Lolli-Ghetti’s daughter, Maria-Amelia took over as Managing Director, Firdaus smiles thinking back on visits to Monaco with his wife, Goolu, saying: “we had very lovely times together.”
When Emanuele Lauro took over as head of the company, Firdaus was thrilled, describing the CEO as a “jovial guy” who always listens intently and speaks to you on the same level. “I think he was very open to learning at all times – he was young and absorbed knowledge from everybody around him.” He believes that one of Mr. Lauro’s greatest traits is seeing people for who they are, which helps him pick excellent people for his company. “He has a knack for selecting the right people.”
Teamwork
In 1994, Firdaus became Captain of the 3 Maj, and Scorpio’s first Indian Captain. But he credits his success to the outstanding officers and seafarers from whom he learned a great deal. He cites many mentors, most importantly Capt. Sergio Gianfranchi, but also his first master, Captain Picardo, Chief Engineer Giordano, and even Pumpmen Lorenzo and Franko. Reflecting on these mentors, he adds: “They molded me to becoming a good Master.” The 3 Maj was decommissioned in 2011, he managed to salvage the bell as a keepsake before the vessel was scrapped, which now hangs proudly in his home.
Despite being part of the Scorpio family, being a seafarer takes its toll on the family at home. Capt. Firdaus is acutely aware of how much he was absent from home during his years at sea and credits Goolu as being the backbone of his family, having to handle everything while he was away. “So actually, it’s thanks to my wife that I have such a lovely family and career.”
Moving ashore
After 33 years at sea, Firdaus never thought he could leave sailing and take a desk job. “Even my wife would never have dreamed that I would give up the job. I was so attached to it.” But one day in 2009, while sailing through the Gulf of Aden, Firdaus received a call on the satellite phone, offering him to head the newly created Environment Department in the new Mumbai office. “It was an exciting offer too good to resist and so I stepped ashore.”
The following year, Firdaus had another career first: he started his first desk job as Environmental Manager of Scorpio Marine Management. Protecting the environment had always been very important for him and this position put him in charge of keeping the fleet safe for the oceans. No regular office job would have contented his adventurous spirit, and in this position, he was able to work around the globe and speak with authority as a representative of Scorpio, long-since a leader in responsible shipping. “This job was very exciting for me, it’s so much more than a desk job,” he says.
Recalling how Mr. Lolli-Ghetti was the first to build double-hull tankers decades before they were required, he emphasizes the environmental commitment of the company. “The backbone of what I admire the most about Scorpio is they won’t cut corners.” With this ethos in mind, Capt. Firdaus built a team for environmental procedures, requirements, and risk assessments. “It was a fantastic job for me, it’s a vast topic where everything that you do on board is linked to the environment.”
Another promotion in 2015 saw him apply the structure he created for the Environmental Department to the Safety Quality department, where he again created procedures and structures based on IMO regulation. A master of implementing systems, in 2019, Firdaus was made Director of Systems and Processes. Linking all his previous work with the new tougher requirements on emissions, he created a system that streamlined procedures and requirements across the board, linking environment, safety, and technical procedures. “We were instrumental in getting a lot of A certifications from DNV. So, we have a great rapport with the regulators.”
After 35 exciting years with Scorpio, Firdaus is ready to retire – another move he never thought he would do. This past January, Scorpio Marine Management celebrated their 15th anniversary with a big celebration (read about it on page 22). It was during this occasion the company heads honored Firdaus for his service, many of them taking the stage to show their appreciation. It was a proud and emotional moment that he hadn’t prepared for but embraced with joy.
The next adventure
Not one to be fenced in, Firdaus looks forward to exploring the open road. Passionate about cars and motorcycles, he loves long drives across the countryside, even racing the 2015 Delhi- Mumbai Rally, where his treasured family heirloom, a 1929 Rolls Royce, took 1st place in the Vintage Car category. “I love driving cars. I love riding motorcycles. So, I’m going to be busy traveling around as far as possible. By land.”
Committed to social outreach programs, he will also be giving back, joining a group of friends in his hometown, Pune, who do a lot of local outreach for the poor, and his wife who works with an NGO. Once he’s home full-time, he looks forward to dedicating himself to ‘making people happy’. “It’s going to be something that, like my seafaring career was from my heart, this will also be something from my heart.”
We wish Firdaus and his family a happy and adventurous retirement!
This article is featured in the Beacon 25 magazine. While onboard, you can download the full issue from DocMap: O:\ApplicationData\FileSync\fromoffice\all\Beacon\
