Roderick Larson on automotive industry
From UTC 2017 Keynote Presentation by Rod Larson, CEO | Oceaneering · · Oceaneering
“Think about the car industry: Henry Ford introduced the Model T to solve the problem of faster transportation. The infrastructure needed to support cars was massive, including the petroleum industry. Today, the car industry is on a plateau, but with disruptions like Tesla challenging what cars are, the future is uncertain. Ford recently replaced their CEO because he wasn't ready to answer questions about electric cars and ride-sharing.”
On , Roderick Larson, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at OCEANEERING INTERNATIONAL, spoke about automotive industry during UTC 2017 Keynote Presentation by Rod Larson, CEO | Oceaneering on Oceaneering.
About Roderick Larson
Rod Larson, president and CEO of Oceaneering, described the company as a $2.5 billion robotics and engineering firm with about 10,500 employees operating in 52 countries, with roughly 70% of revenue from energy and 30% from government work including space and defense. In a September 2024 interview, Larson stated that hydrocarbons will be needed for a long time and that Oceaneering works with customers to develop resources "in a really responsible way," focusing on safety and reducing carbon footprints. He noted that deepwater reservoirs have some of the lowest carbon footprints for development and cited West Africa, Guyana, Surinam, and Brazil as regions with long-term offshore growth potential. Larson also highlighted Oceaneering's government services, including work for NASA and submarine repair as the only SubSafe certified contractor outside of submarine manufacturers. Larson has emphasized innovation and adaptation, stating that the secret to success includes "saying yes to opportunities, being curious, and gaining experience across different parts of the business." He has discussed Oceaneering's development of an autonomous counterbalance forklift for automobile manufacturing as an example of applying technology beyond oil and gas. In a 2017 keynote, Larson argued that being first to market is not sufficient, citing companies like Blackberry and Kodak that failed to maintain leadership, and stressed that technology must be safe, integrated, and supported by a culture of service. He has also advocated for Houston as a center for innovation beyond Silicon Valley, saying companies like Oceaneering can help attract investment by showcasing technology leadership.
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