Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Birmingham, England in 1968 and joined Shell in Nigeria as a Petroleum Engineer as a well site petroleum engineer after basic training in The Netherlands.

He has worked both in Nigeria and internationally (UK and The Netherlands) and rose to the position of Deputy MD of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria a position he held until February 2002.

He held various technical and managerial positions in his career with Shell: Production engineer responsible for well completion design, gas lift design, production optimisation, forecasting; Chief Petroleum Engineer responsible for well design, delivery, monitoring; In the UK, worked for Shell Expro as a senior economist for some of the North Sea green and brown fields; In the Netherlands, worked as Head of EP liaison group responsible for all Shell’s E&P interest in UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Italy managing partner relationship, considering budget plans, attending partner meetings; Ran the Eastern Division of Shell in Nigeria for a total of 9 years. Total production of about 500,000bpd with a staff strength of 2000; As Deputy MD, was involved with strategy, staff planning for the most senior staff, managing the various change programmes of the company. Participated in the visioning exercise driven by the public/private sectors which produced Vision 2010 for Nigeria.

• He worked with Shell International, London as a Senior Corporate Adviser on Nigeria between May 2002 and November 2004.
• He was one of the founders of Afren, a Pan African Independent Oil and Gas Company, and eventually became the non-executive chairman of the company in the UK and Nigeria.
• He has been a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers  since 1973 and is a founding member in Nigeria.  He was Chairman of SPE Nigeria Council 1986.
• He was made a Distinguished Member of the society in 1999 and a Honorary member (SPE’s highest award) in 2011.
• He served as the first Regional Director for Africa on the SPE board between October 2000 and 2003 and was chairman of the SPE board of trustees, Nigeria from 2007 to 2013.
• He served on the SPE international board from 2012 to 2014 and became  SPE 2013 International President.
• He received a National Award, CON in Nov 2011.
• Received honorary doctorate degrees from the Universities of Port Harcourt (2011) and Uyo Nigeria (2012).
• Directorships:

               i.        Afren Plc : March 2005 to June 2015 and as  Chairman from January 2009 to June 2015

               ii.        Afren Energy Resources: June 2005 to October 2015

              iii.        First Hydrocarbon Nigeria: June 2009 till August 2016.

              iv.        Guaranty Trust Bank: July 2005 to March 2015 and served as Chairman in the last two years on the board.

              v.        Currently Chairman of Investment One

• He is happily married and has four children and four grandchildren.
• He is a keen golfer

SPECIALIZATIONS

• Oil and Gas Engineering & Management