Fresh approach brings rewards

"He talked about many details of the acquisition, like a participant in each step," said Qu.

Han Xiaoping, chief information officer of China Energy Net Consulting Co Ltd, a consultancy, said Fu has always focused more on profitability, an asset that makes him more than qualified as a professional CEO, rather than as a leader of a State-owned enterprise. In China, heads of most State-owned companies are treated like government officials in some way or the other.

Leading from the front lines

Oil giant aims to tap into efficiency

But Fu, running his operations like a foreign company CEO, is more concerned about the company's performances rather his own career ladder, Han said.

"He is extremely innovative and strong-mind, ed," Han said. "When he decides to do something, he will be committed and focused."

In the past three years, shale gas has been a hot word in China's energy industry. Almost every company in the energy sector wants to be part of the industrial chain. However, there have also been doubts that China's geography and water conditions are not suitable for shale gas exploration.

Technology, water consumption and high costs have all been cited as obstacles for China's shale gas "revolution". But Fu does not believe so. His stewardship has helped Sinopec start commercial production from its shale gas blocks in Fuling gas fields in Chongqing.

Fu said the company has made several technology breakthroughs for shale gas exploration in Fuling that can be replicated by other Chinese companies.

Sinopec plans to build an annual capacity of 10 billion cubic meters of gas output by 2017 in Fuling.

Han said the company had failed twice in its earlier attempts before starting commercial production.

Rather than giving up, Fu decided to continue investing in the shale gas sector, Han said. "Despite stiff opposition and high costs, Fu was so determined to succeed and in the end was proved right."