People in the industry

Pioneer Natural Resources Company CEO Scott D. Sheffield has announced his retirement, effective Dec. 31, 2016. Upon his retirement, the company has named Timothy L. Dove as his successor. Sheffield will continue his role as executive chairman of the board of directors through Dec. 31, 2017. Dove has been with the company since its formation in 1997, and most recently has served as its president and COO since 2004. He was elected to the board of directors in 2013.

In light of Aldemir Bendine’s resignation, Petrobras’ board of directors has elected Pedro Pullen Parente to CEO and board member. Parente presently serves as a board member for SBR-Global, as well as executive partner of the Prada Group of consulting and financial advisory companies. Petrobras Board Member Luciano Galvão Coutinho also has resigned. The position will remain vacant until the election of a new board member ensues.

Rockwell Automation has elected Blake D. Moret, a 30-year veteran of the company, as president and CEO. He succeeds Keith D. Nosbusch, who has served as the company’s president and CEO since 2004. Nosbusch will continue as chairman of the board. With 30 years of experience, Moret most recently served as senior V.P. of the company’s control products & solutions segment.

Don Fryhover has joined RAMTeCH Software Solutions, Inc., as senior V.P. of energy data management. Fryhover brings 40 years of energy industry experience to his new role. Prior to joining RAMTeCH, he served as V.P. of operations of the geological products & solutions division at TGS-NOPEC. Additionally, he co-founded Petroleum Research Company.

Marc L. Duncan has been appointed president and COO at Rangeford Resources. Duncan previously served as president and COO of Contango Oil and Gas from 2005 until February 2014. He has more than 35 years of industry experience, and has served in a variety of domestic and international management positions relating to oil and gas exploration.

Cairn India Ltd. Managing Director and CEO Mayank Ashar has resigned. Sudhir Mathur, CFO, will lead the company as the acting CEO, and will continue to work with the leadership team in managing the business under the guidance of the company’s board.

The Energy Industries Council (EIC) has appointed Stuart Broadley as CEO. He brings more than 20 years of global energy services experience to his new role. Based in Vienna for the past three years, Broadley most recently served as global head of service for the EIC’s compression technology division. Prior to a position at Hoerbiger, Broadley spent four years in the renewables sector in Hamburg. Additionally, he spent 13 years at Wood Group in Aberdeen.

Hoover Container Solutions Norway AS, a subsidiary of Hoover Group, Inc., has named Tor Olav Schibevaag as managing director for Europe. Additionally, Kjetil Skaaren has been named general manager for Norway. Schibevaag brings more than 12 years of industry experience to his new role. With more than 15 years of industry experience, Skaaren previously managed highly complex projects for the oil and gas market, as well.

AMETEK, Inc., has elected Brian A. Hoffmann to V.P. and general manager of the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) division. Since joining the company in 2005, Hoffmann has served as divisional V.P. and business unit manager for AMETEK Power Instruments. Additionally, he has held engineering, operations and general management roles with Danaher, as well as engineering positions with Cincinnati Milacron.

Cobalt International Energy, Inc., has named Timothy J. Cutt as CEO, as well as a Class I member of the board of directors. Following the resignation of Joseph H. Bryant, Cutt will assume his new role on July 2. He has more than 30 years of industry experience. Also in connection with the resignation of the former chairman and CEO, the company has appointed William P. Utt as interim chairman of the board of directors. Additionally, while Van P. Whitfield served as interim CEO, he also had been appointed as a Class II member of the board of directors.

Baker Hughes has restructured its senior leadership team by consolidating its previous regional operations into one global organization. Former V.P. and Chief Integration Officer Belgacem Chariag will now serve as president of global operations. Art Soucy, previously president of the Europe, Africa and Russia Caspian regions, will serve as president of products and technology. Derek Mathieson will serve as CCO of the newly formed Commercial Strategy organization. Mathieson was formerly the company’s V.P., and chief technology and marketing officer. Additionally, Richard Williams will serve as senior advisor to the company’s executive leadership team. He had served previously as president of the company’s North America region.

Jerry Nichols has been added to InterAct’s technical team as senior geophysical advisor. With more than 35 years of experience in technical and managerial roles throughout the U.S., Middle East, Australia, South America and the North Sea, Nichols brings extensive knowledge in both exploration and field development to his new role.

Sonnie Groombridge has been appointed APAC business unit manager at Ferguson, where he will be responsible for all activity in the Asia-Pacific region. He will be based in Perth, Australia. Groombridge joined the company in 2011 as the Australian operations manager, before he was named Australian business unit manager in 2013.

Anwar Assal has been appointed MENA region manager at AccessESP. Based in Dubai, Assal will develop new and existing business relationships across the region. With 20 years of well completions experience, Assal is bringing extensive knowledge of completions technology, products, equipment and practices
to his new position.

Argentina’s YPF has named Ricardo Darre as its new CEO. Darre, managing director at Total SA, has been head of the U.S. E&P unit since August 2014. After joining Total in 1987, he held assignments in Norway, Thailand, Argentina, Russia and France. In his new role, Darre will be tasked with boosting output at Vaca Muerta, while balancing salary demands from unions and competitive domestic gasoline prices.

Cleiver Moulin has been appointed managing director in Brazil for InterMoor. He joined InterMoor do Brasil in 2010 as senior project manager, where he played management roles in multiple project areas. In his new position, Moulin will oversee all business in the region.

Exova has named Ronan Harkin as V.P. of sales for the Americas region. With more than 15 years of testing experience, Harkin most recently served as director of global sales and marketing at LINK Engineering Company. In his new position, he will lead sales teams in the Americas, supporting customers throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.