Courtney Diezi

“Get in there,” Courtney Diezi urges young professionals. “Work hard and keep learning. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it while demonstrating the effort you’ve already put in.  Always be ready for opportunities when they present themselves.”

The question related to advice to young professionals, particularly women, in energy, but Diezi’s (pronounced DEET-zee) counsel could apply to any go-getter in any field. In particular, it applied to her when she was working on her MBA and looking for part-time work. She landed a gig as a part-time receptionist at a subsea equipment inspection company. Her hiring manager was her mother-in-law.

“I actually never intended to be in the oil and gas industry, but once we moved to Houston to be closer to my husband’s family, I was introduced to an amazing series of opportunities within the space that allowed me to grow and learn, and be able to work with so many great people,” she said.

Among them was Mark Simpson, one of her earliest managers at Weatherford.

“Very little ruffled him, so he was a good mentor in taking challenges with ease,” Diezi said. “Mark said making an impact was most important to him, and that stuck with me.”

That thinking was echoed by Corva’s executive chairman, Dharmesh Mehta: “He’s taught me the importance of thinking bigger and more strategically, several years in the future.”

Diezi joined Corva as its COO when it launched in 2017.

“This has been my first startup and there are new challenges every day,” she said. “We have grown from only a few people in 2017 to almost 300 globally today, and work for small operators in North America to many of the largest companies in the world.”

A significant career accomplishment for Diezi was when Corva reached 100 rigs within a year of going commercial. “This period was characterized by a great product/market fit and rapid growth; we established solid traction with a diverse range of customers across North America,” she said.

“It’s been fulfilling as I’ve been able to utilize a lot of my previous experience at some level during this time with Corva, as well as learn an incredible amount.”

Strategic planning for a company differs from strategic planning for a career. Sometimes things just work out the way they work out.

“Entering the industry in 2000, I had no idea what my career would look like and I’m happy for that,” Diezi said. “Viewing a career path as a straight line would have really limited me. I’ve always been a good leader, communicator and organizer, so honing these skills along the way was important. My biggest career goal today is growing Corva to have a strong global presence while delivering multiple product solutions.”

To accomplish this, she relies on her breadth of exposure to various experiences, from her early days in marketing and key accounts, to more recent roles overseeing operations and business functions.

“These varied experiences have instilled in me the ability to maintain grace under pressure and think strategically before reacting—a critical aspect of effective business leadership,” Diezi said. “My entrepreneurial spirit has been fueled by a deep sense of ownership in every task I undertake. My engineering degree has equipped me with the invaluable skill of breaking down complex concepts into simpler, manageable pieces, facilitating a pragmatic approach to problem-solving in the realm of business and entrepreneurship.”

That pragmatic approach can be found in her guidance to the oil and gas industry:

• “Technology has to deliver meaningful value or the change to embrace something new is worthless;
• “Communication within an organization is challenging on a good day. Never underestimate the importance of communicating a well-thought message many times; and
• “The culture that you create in an organization must evolve purposefully as the company and customers evolve.”

Check out the rest of Hart Energy's 2024 Women in Energy here.