People in the Industry

API President and CEO Jack Gerard has announced that he will step down in August, when his contract ends. Until then, he reportedly will carry on with his duties and assist in the search for a new CEO. Gerard has served the association for 10 years, which he says is the longest tenure of his career. Prior to joining API in 2008, Gerard served as president and CEO of the National Mining Association and the American Chemistry Council. He worked in the U.S. Senate and House for a number of years, as well.

KrisEnergy has announced that Keppel Offshore & Marine CEO, Chris Ong Leng Yeow, has joined the board of directors as a non-executive director. Accordingly, Michael Chia Hock Chye will step down after serving as a non-executive director since 2016. Ong also will take over for Chia as a member of the company’s audit and risk management committee, as well as its nominating committee. Since 1999, Ong held a number of positions at Keppel
FELS Ltd.

Roberto Pancaldi has been named CEO at Tenova Metals, a Techint Group company. Formerly the COO, he will assume the position from Andrea Rocca, who served as the company CEO for five years. Pancaldi joined Techint Group as a process engineer in 1988. Since then, he has held a number of leadership positions in different functions and business units of the Metals division. 

Eskil Jersing has been hired as CEO at Wentworth Resources. He likely will join the company’s board of directors, as well. Jersing previously served as CEO at Sterling Energy. Throughout his 30-year career, Jersing has worked on various development projects in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Africa and Southeast Asia. He began his career as a field seismologist at SSL, before joining Enterprise Oil as the Gulf of Mexico exploration strategy and planning manager. He later held positions at Marathon Oil, Apache Corp. and Petrobras.

Kelly Robbins has been appointed as the Arkansas Petroleum Council executive director for API. He will take over the position from Tom Parker, who retired in December. Robbins was previously the executive V.P. for the Arkansas chapter of the Associate General Contractors of America. Prior to that, he served as executive V.P. of the Arkansas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association.

EnQuest has named Laurie Fitch as a non-executive director of its board. Additionally, she will join the company’s remuneration and risk committees. With more than 20 years of investment and corporate finance experience, Fitch brings extensive knowledge of the utilities and industrials markets. Presently, she serves as partner at PJT Partners’ Strategic Advisory Group. She is also a member of the Audit and Finance Operations subcommitties of the Tate Board
of Trustees.

Hugh Saville has been appointed as chairman of the Energy Industries Council’s (EIC) board of directors. He will take over from Paul Mitchell, who has served as chairman of the board for five years. Saville previously served as chairman of the EIC’s finance committee. He also served previously as managing director of Minster International Business Development Limited, where he advised manufacturers in the UK, Europe, Asia and the U.S. Overall, Saville brings more than 40 years of industry experience to his new role.

Southwestern Energy has named Clayton Carrell as its new executive V.P. and COO. He joins the company from EP Energy, where he had been executive V.P. and COO since 2012. In his new role, Carrell will oversee the company’s operational and technical undertakings. Carrell previously held leadership roles at El Paso Corporation, Peoples Energy Production, Burlington Resources, and ARCO Oil and Gas Co.

DNV GL – Oil & Gas has appointed Ben Oudman as regional manager for continental Europe, Eurasia, Middle East, India and Africa to further strengthen the company’s efforts to help the industry overcome barriers to progress. Oudman brings a wealth of relevant experience to his new position. Oudman joined DNV GL in 2013 and has previously held senior positions in Phillips and Kiwa Technology.  In his previous role, he was country manager for DNV GL’s Oil & Gas operations in The Netherlands.

DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG has named Maria Moraeus Hanssen as CEO and chair of the board of management. She succeeds Thomas Rappuhn, who will step down after eight years as CEO. Prior to her role at DEA, Hanssen managed Engie’s international E&P business. Accordingly, she brings extensive knowledge of the oil and gas industry to her new position.

Albert Allan has joined KCA Deutag as senior V.P. of RDS, the company’s rig design and engineering subsidiary. As a member of the company’s executive management team in Aberdeen, Allan will manage RDS operations, globally. He brings more than 30 years of industry experience to his new role. Previously, Allan served as V.P. of operations at KBR and as managing director
for the oil, gas and petrochemical business of Mott McDonald.

Steve Paulsen has been appointed as CEO at PG Flow Solutions. He succeeds Roy Norum, who will become executive V.P. of sales and business development. Paulsen previously served as the company’s COO. Prior to joining the company in 2015, he held a number of management positions at Siemens—including head of operations within energy, oil & gas solutions; head of global sales & project execution; and head of sales and regional support. Additionally, he was project director for Nokia Siemens Networks. Norum has been with PG Flow Solutions for 18 years, and has been with PG’s global core business segments for more than 40 years.

Bruce Heppenstall has been named chairman of the regional advocacy group for the northeast of England’s subsea sector, Subsea North East. He will take over for Andrew Hodgson. Heppenstall is the former CEO of BEL Valves and the former general manager for GE’s Oil & Gas Wellstream division. In his new role, he will work with Subsea UK to promote the northeastern subsea sector.

Newpark Resources has hired Dr. Clayton Smith as V.P. of its stimulation product line. He will oversee the development of the company’s global strategy, with primary attention to North American markets. Clayton joins the company from Weatherford International, where he was global director of research, development and engineering for the pressure pumping services division. Prior to that, he served as V.P. of technology at Innovative Chemical Technologies Canada Ltd. He has 24 years of chemical research and development experience.

W. Robert Shearer has been hired at Akin Gump’s energy practice in Houston. As a partner, he will focus on M&A, joint ventures, private equity and capital market transactions for energy, oilfield services, manufacturing and technology clients. For 13 years, Shearer served as a corporate partner at BakerHostetler LLP. Prior to that, he worked at Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP. Shearer has served an independent insurance brokerage, gas-to-liquids companies, and a large construction service company.