By Dehuti Jani

The rules of fair play do not apply to war or technological shifts. When conflicts involve oil-rich regions, the impact is never local; it is global.

We have lived through a period of sustained uncertainty over the past year. Ongoing geopolitical tensions are already reflecting in the markets, with Brent crude briefly climbing to $141.35 on April 2nd. This approaches levels last seen during periods of extreme global stress. For context, Brent crude reached its all-time high of $147.50 per barrel in July 2008, a time I remember well from my days as a young financial journalist tracking the markets.

Seventeen years later, I find myself in a very different position.

After a decade in project and program management within financial services and fintech, I am experiencing a mid-career disruption. This isn't driven by a lack of capability but by rapidly changing global conditions. Interestingly, I did not feel this level of disruption even during COVID. However, the current geopolitical climate and uncertainty in oil markets have visibly slowed hiring, particularly for remote roles.

“The challenge today is not capability — it is positioning.” 

At the same time, rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence are reshaping how organizations think about structure, efficiency, and hiring. Roles like project and program management are not disappearing, but they are certainly being reconsidered.

This creates a unique paradox where experience and capability exist, yet the opportunities themselves are shifting. In this environment, I am choosing to adapt.

Alongside my ongoing work in financial journalism, I have started exploring independent consulting. I’m now helping small businesses bring structure to their operations, streamline processes, and introduce simple automation where it's needed most.

While this isn't a fully defined path yet, I believe that in uncertain times, clarity often comes from movement rather than waiting. For now, I am choosing to stay engaged, keep building, and contribute wherever I can create the most value.