Marina Matselinskaya

Sr. Manager of Digital Marketing and Project Management, Halliburton

Marina is a global citizen; she is passionate about exploring the world and feels at home wherever life takes her.  Born and raised in Moscow, Russia, she spent a third of her life living overseas for study, work and pleasure. When choosing her career path she was naturally drawn to the breeding ground of Russian diplomatic corps – the Moscow University of International Relations (MGIMO), where she received her master’s degree in International Journalism and PR with a concentration in Chinese studies. With fluent Mandarin and a coveted diploma, she was set to deploy to the Russian embassy in Beijing, but instead found herself on West Siberian oil rigs.

Over 8 years of her sales and marketing career with Halliburton Marina has traveled extensively in both hemispheres, lived in Houston, TX and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and has fallen in love with the energy industry.  Marina is currently Sr. Manager of Digital Marketing and Project Management running a corporate group with complete responsibility for Halliburton’s external web presence.

We asked Marina:

The OGM: Have you had a mentor?

Marina: I have been very fortunate to have 2 people in Halliburton who have taken the time and energy to be my mentors over the years. One – a seasoned engineer with vast oilfield experience – taught me, an industry newcomer, everything I know about drilling. The other – a high-power executive woman – gave me invaluable lessons in leadership.

The OGM: What does success mean to you?

Marina: Doing things right. Doing things right by my family, right by my company and right by me.

The OGM: If you were to describe your career in three words what would they be?

Marina: Fast. Fabulous. Fun.

The OGM: What advice would you give to someone looking for a career in the energy industry?

Marina: Be ready for opportunities when they come knocking and don’t shy away from challenging assignments. This is a very rewarding industry, and if you put in the effort, you will progress quickly and spectacularly.

The OGM: Describe a milestone in your career?

Marina: I started with Halliburton in Moscow, but soon received an offer to move to the corporate headquarters in Houston, TX. The decision I made to take this risk, leave my Russian family and friends behind and move across the globe to take a job in product marketing for a drilling service line has propelled my career.

The OGM: Describe a challenge you faced in your career?

Marina: Challenges inspire me! Over the last couple of years, I have been challenged to continuously prove the value of digital marketing to the organization that thinks and acts along very traditional paradigms.

The OGM: What impact does technology have on your career?

Marina: Technology is changing the way we do marketing today. The volume of data we have from digital channels about our prospective customers is mind-boggling. I’m excited to work on translating these data into actionable insight for our sales organization. Even more thrilling is to witness technology change the way we think about energy sources – unlocking shale gas reserves in rocks that were previously considered unproduceable is a great example.

The OGM: What interests you to sustain a career in the Energy industry?

Marina: Our industry is steeped in tradition, but hungry for innovation. I continue to be amazed at the technologies we develop to get to oil and gas at the bottom of the oceans, in harsh Arctic areas and in deep jungle. Then, of course, there is the camaraderie. I have met great people along the way and look forward to meeting more.

The OGM: What’s your take on Social Media and our ever changing digital world?

Marina: The power of social media to influence buying decisions and public opinion is unquestionable. The industry is working hard to harness this power. I expect the conversation about energy to change and become much more educated once the actual players can participate in it.

The OGM: What Social Medium do you use on a daily basis?

Marina: LinkedIn for work – networking, participating in group discussions. Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family. Twitter to follow people and companies I’m interested in.

The OGM: Why do you love what you do?

Marina: I’m on the high-tech end of marketing in a high-tech company in the energy industry. What’s not to love?!