The new UK North Sea regulator the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has unveiled its core leadership team, including directors of exploration and production, technology and projects, policy and performance and a CFO.
The new directors, who will be in post by mid-June, will report directly to OGA CEO Andy Samuel (pictured) and will sit on the OGA Leadership Team.
We outline the new staff for you here:
Gunther Newcombe joins the OGA from Indonesia where he was President and CEO of VICO, a joint venture upstream business owned by BP and ENI focused on both conventional onshore oil and gas and coal bed methane. Gunther is a graduate of Manchester University and started his 35 year career with BP as a well-site engineer and geologist. Assignments followed in London, Germany, China, Aberdeen, Norway, Indonesia, Houston and Venezuela. In the UK, Gunther’s leadership roles have included operating an FPSO in the Atlantic Frontier, running BP’s onshore terminals and pipeline business and finally as VP Decommissioning for BP. Gunther is married with four children, and will be based in Aberdeen.
Dr Angela Seeney is a senior executive with extensive global experience in global oil, gas and alternative energies pioneering business and technology developments. Her career has been mainly with Shell, where her last role was as General Manager Business Technology Development, Shell Alternative Energies. Angela’s career has seen her lead in projects in new and mature areas, focusing on maximizing strategic value at lowest cost and risk. This work has been in both upstream and downstream businesses in offshore exploration, industry, retail, transport, services, renewables and chemicals sectors, in all regions globally across 80 markets, including the UK. Angela is married with two sons, and will be based in Aberdeen.
Hedvig Ljungerud is a policy professional with expertise in economics, and a strong record of delivery in both policy and strategy design and operational implementation. Her most recent role was Deputy Director VAT Liability, Deductions & Financial Services and Transport Taxes at HMRC, having previously led the Transportation Taxes team. Prior to this, Hedvig’s career has been focused in the areas of policy development and strategy, including nine years in HM Treasury. Hedvig lives with her young son and will be based in London.
John Ogden is a qualified accountant and is a Fellow of CIMA who has been working on an interim basis for the OGA since March. John’s career has taken in finance leadership roles both in the public sector - including working for NATS, City of Westminster council, and the Ministry of Justice – as well senior roles in the private hi-tech sectors with experience working at Sony, Hutchison 3G and Ericsson. John is married with two teenage children and will be based in London.
Dr Nick Richardson is currently a Senior Exploration Geologist with Dana Petroleum, in Aberdeen. Nick’s career has included a short time in the professional services industry working for PwC, and then various geoscience roles for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Shell and Maersk Oil. Nick’s recent geographical areas of focus cover West Africa, NW Europe, and the Mediterranean. Nick is married with three children and will continue to be based in Aberdeen.
Also on the leadership are Simon Toole, Director, Licensing and Legal, (previoulsy of DECC) and Stuart Payne, Director of Change and Organizational Design, who were appointed earlier this year.
The OGA has also recruited senior managers to oversee exploration and production activities across the different sectors of the UK North Sea.
Brenda Wyllie joins the OGA from Oil & Gas UK, where she was Production Manager. Prior to joining Oil & Gas UK, Brenda worked for CNR International as the UK Production Manager responsible for the company’s Ninian field group. Before this, Brenda has worked in a number of technical roles in the UK and overseas for BP, Hess, Schlumberger and Halliburton. Brenda is married with three children and will be based in Aberdeen.
Scott Robertson joins the OGA from Dana Petroleum, where he was most recently the Commercial & Joint Ventures Manager following a period as UK Producing Assets Manager. Scott’s career began in Total Fina Elf, before moving to BP where he worked in a variety of both UK and Global roles including HSE, Commercial and M&A as well as a period as Executive Advisor to the UK VP. Scott is married with three children and will be based in Aberdeen.
Recruitment of the Area Manager, Southern North Sea and Morcambe Bay is ongoing and the successful candidate will be announced in the coming weeks.
OGA Chief Executive, Andy Samuel said: “I am very pleased to confirm these senior leadership appointments and I’m excited to be welcoming such a talented and experienced group of professionals to the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).
“Given the many challenges currently facing our industry my priority was to move quickly to establish the OGA as a strong and effective regulator. The creation of this high-calibre leadership team is an important milestone.
“We will continue to develop the organization in the coming months, increasing our capability but remaining ruthlessly focused on those priorities that will help maximize economic recovery of the country’s oil and gas resources and the wider benefits this delivers for the UK.
“The OGA continues to receive excellent support and engagement from government and industry, and we will work hard to maintain and build on our position as an effective regulator, trusted advisor and catalyst for change.”
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