Innovative thinkers

Rustom Mody

As a former athlete and boxer, Rustom Mody knows all about doing what it takes. He preaches the importance of discipline, dedication, hard work and having a passion for what you do. “Do your best, and never give up your vision,” Mody advises.

As V.P. and chief engineer, Enterprise Technology, at Baker Hughes, Inc., Mody oversees product research and development, in addition to heading industry and university collaboration for the company. Yet, he prides himself on his role as a mentor most of all. “Mentoring young engineers is a big part of my role,” he said. “I tell them to never stop learning and always embrace a challenge. We should constantly be seeking and sharing knowledge. That’s how innovation happens.”

Mody credits his father with the cultivation of these core values while growing up in Mumbai, India. Not only did these principles make him stand out as a boxer, they allowed him to excel academically, as well. He graduated from high school, and moved on to college courses at 16 years old. Then, at just 21 years old, he came to the U.S. to be a teaching assistant, and to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Oklahoma.

Upon earning his MS degree in mechanical engineering, Mody began his career in the oil and gas industry with a position at Smith International (now a Schlumberger company) in Houston. “I had several offers,” he shared. “I chose Houston, because the city has so much to offer, and there is so much diversity.”

Seven years at Smith and an MBA in finance later, Mody joined Baker Service Tools (now Baker Oil Tools) as project engineer. After just two years, he was named director of the thru-tubing intervention product line. As director of technology for multiple product lines, and then V.P. of technology for completions, he saw his vision for a leading center for completion technology research and innovation come to fruition in the form of the Houston-based Center for Technology Innovation.

Mody is a cheerleader and statesman for Baker Hughes, and the oil and gas industry, at top college and university campuses throughout the world, speaking to students in disciplines from petroleum and mechanical engineering to math, geology and computer science. He also serves on various industry and university advisory boards.

Mody’s enthusiasm for innovation and the sharing of ideas also has been recognized through his participation with Pumps & Pipes, a Houston research initiative that brings professionals in the energy, medical, education and aerospace industries together, in an effort to strengthen the city’s STEM programs. Mody has been involved heavily with the organization since its inception in 2007, and serves on the advisory board. He says, “We have so much talent and know-how right here in Houston, why not share ideas with each other and work together?”

By nurturing initiatives like Pumps & Pipes, as well as others—including Baker Hughes’ Women’s Resource Group and its peer-led program, Endeavor—Mody hopes to encourage a new generation of engineers to explore new ideas, and to construct a clear vision of tomorrow’s energy industry. Despite the current industry slump, he remains confident in his team’s ability to continue pushing the envelope. “I think we’re going to see more great things in the near future,” Mody said. “A downturn has a silver lining from a technology perspective, because the industry becomes more open to adopting new technologies.”