Geena Malkani: Visionary Driving Cohesive Growth By Aligning People & Capital In Ghana's Energy Sector

Today’s energy leaders are navigating a rapidly changing environment, where decisions must be future-ready and balance performance, people, and planet. To stay competitive, a transition beyond the traditional model is required, embracing digital infrastructure, upskilling talent, and aligning strategies with climate-conscious innovation.

Dwelling upon her life experiences and wisdom earned beyond classrooms, Geena Malkani, Director and COO at Springfield Group of Companies, is a dynamic entrepreneur who orchestrates cross-functional alignment and strategic resource optimization across a diversified business portfolio. With a core expertise in opportunity engineering, commercial growth, and stakeholder engagement, Geena has been a key architect behind reshaping Springfield’s footprints across regional market penetration.

Take us through the formative years of your life and key influences that shaped your life’s trajectory.

Beginning with Ghana International School and continuing through my academic years in the UK, my education exposed me to a wide range of perspectives.

At just 17, my father left India for Ghana, driven by ambition and self-belief. True to the Sindhi entrepreneurial spirit, he built Ghana’s biggest department store network. Later my father built Ghana’s largest injection moulding facility, exporting 75 percent of its output across West Africa. I spent almost every school break working in the factory, gaining hands-on experience.

My father’s vision and business acumen sparked my lifelong fascination with entrepreneurship. My mother on the other hand taught me resilience, self-presentation, and grace. Together they shaped every part of me, personally and professionally.

Tell us about your professional journey. What key areas of expertise have you developed over the years?

My professional journey began by working alongside my husband in the hospitality sector and his family’s consumer goods distribution business. In the early years I was involved in every aspect of the business. Over time, I came to realize I had a unique ability to connect with people and guide decisions, a talent that translated into strong sales outcomes. The awareness inspired me to shift focus and pursue my own entrepreneurial journey.

With a foundation in business development, I have led initiatives ranging from fleet vehicle sales to government clients, to high-impact roles in the pharmaceutical and wellness industries. My expertise spans opportunity mapping, client retention, sustainability growth, B2B sales, and performance management.

Introduce us to Springfield Group. What key roles do you play within the group of companies?

A multi-billion-dollar group of integrated energy companies, Springfield Group operates across exploration, production, services, and oil trading. Its landmark deep-water drilling achievement in 2019 positioned it as the first independent African firm to reach such a milestone, redefining regional energy leadership. Springfield Exploration and Production (SEP), has made significant strides, including the historic discovery of 645 million barrels of proven oil reserves in the Athena Afina-1x well, offshore Ghana.

In my capacity as co-owner and COO, I am responsible for managing the operational performance of the entire group. My responsibilities span finance, procurement, HR, corporate affairs, legal and safety, addressing coordination and accountability across every arm of the business.

Highlight the most pressing business challenges you encounter in your current role at Springfield Group. How do you navigate through these roadblocks?

While gender bias does surface occasionally, personally I have never felt constrained by any glass ceiling. My experience as a woman leader has been shaped more by contribution than by barriers. My approach which is grounded in integrity, has earned trust and respect over time.

Pioneering deep-water operations as the only African-owned and operated company in the space was not without its hurdles. But by staying focused and delivering results, we have earned our place at the table and are now writing our own narrative. Another challenge was that being the only Ghanaian company in this space, we have had to operate within regulations that never anticipated our presence. It has been challenging navigating systems not built for us, but it has also opened doors to redefining what’s possible for local industry leaders.

With the Ghanaian energy sector evolving, how are you driving growth for Springfield Group?

At Springfield, our current priority is advancing Afina- 1x discovery into full-scale production. Supporting the country’s broader goal of increasing oil and gas output, this progress is vital for both economic and energy growth. Alongside that, we have made another important discovery, Tama, a gas field with over 1.2 TCF in reserves.

As global demand for cleaner energy rises, gas has become a vital resource, both locally and internationally. Springfield has become one of Ghana’s top oil suppliers and a trusted partner across West Africa, especially for landlocked countries. Together with Afina oil production, these projects mark major milestones for Springfield and the region.

How do you foresee the oil industry evolving in Ghana, going forward?

While the global momentum toward clean energy is undeniable, it is important to recognize that in Africa and other resource-rich developing nations, a forced transition may be premature. The shift must be inclusive, gradual, and context-aware. Ghana must be empowered to leverage its natural assets for development, just as industrialized countries once did.

As the world shifts toward renewables, African nations must retain the right to use fossil fuels for development. We deserve space to progress on our own terms based on needed time and flexibility. Africa can draw from India’s success in integrating economic growth with clean energy initiatives.

Looking back, which core values have driven your professional growth journey?

While many values guide my work, for me integrity is of prime importance. In a world that often measures success by materialism, I believe our true-worth is reflected in how we lead, with honesty, accountability, and unwavering ethics. Up next is credibility. In business and in life, trust is earned through transparency and upheld through integrity.

Challenges are a constant in life and business, but letting them define you is not an option. Staying resilient through uncertainty is the fuel that keeps momentum alive. Innovation means staying fluid, adapting to the times and thinking without constraints.

Geena Malkani, Director & Coo, Springfield Group

A visionary force shaping Ghana’s energy future by harnessing human and fiscal resources to enable operational agility, Geena Malkani brings a future-forward lens to leadership as Director and COO of Springfield Group. Known for her systemic thinking and executional rigor, her unwavering dedication is evident in Ghana’s energy space, co-leading transformative oil lifting contracts, championing Springfield’s evolution into a regional industry pioneer.