Edward Bawa, chief executive officer of GOIL, told Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition that the relationship with his counterpart at rival fuel marketer Star Oil, Philip Kwame Tieku, is healthy despite the intense competition between the two companies.
Bawa explained that GOIL and Star Oil are vying for the same customers, each deploying different strategies to strengthen their positions in the fuel market. “Our relationship has been businesslike. They are competitors like us. They want to do well. All of us are competing for the same market, and we are using the strategies we find best to win that customer. I wish my brother Philip Kwame Tieku the best of luck, but GOIL will be a tough nut to crack,” he said.
The comments come amid an increasingly competitive fuel market, with GOIL and Star Oil among the major players aggressively pricing at the pump to attract motorists. In recent times Star Oil has emerged as a strong challenger, using competitive pricing to pressure established operators such as GOIL to protect their market share.
Despite the commercial rivalry, Bawa said there is no personal animosity between him and Tieku. He disclosed that although the two executives have never met physically, they maintain a relationship through social media. “Surprisingly, we have never met, but at least we have a social media relationship, and that’s well. And to be very frank, I was touched when he wished me happy birthday on my birthday,” Bawa added.
According to the GOIL CEO, the gesture demonstrated that business competition need not undermine personal relationships. “I mean, that shows maturity. That irrespective of the fact that we are combatants in the business world, on a personal level we can still be friends. So there’s a healthy relationship. It’s a very healthy one,” he said.
GOIL and Star Oil are likely to continue competing fiercely as the fuel market evolves, but executives from both sides appear ready to keep their rivalry professional and, where possible, cordial.
