NATIONAL resource industry employer group AREEA is pleased to welcome ExxonMobil Australia Chairman Richard Owen (pictured) to its Board of Directors.
Mr Owen joined the Esso Company in Australia as an engineer in Sale and Sydney in 1983. Throughout his 30-year career with ExxonMobil, he has held senior technical and executive positions with the company around the world, including assignments in Melbourne, Houston, Alaska, Hannover and Jakarta.
“Richard brings a wealth of experience in the hydrocarbons sector to the AREEA Board,” said AREEA chief executive Steve Knott.
“His expertise and insight will prove invaluable to AREEA’s representation of not only our oil and gas members, but all the resource and related service sector employers who are set to benefit from the ramping up of the LNG production phase in coming years.”
The appointment of Mr Owen comes as ExxonMobil’s former representative on AREEA’s Board, Ulysses Yiannis, embarks on a new career opportunity with the global oil and gas company in the United States.
“AREEA benefitted from the knowledge and experience of Ulysses as an AREEA Board Member and Vice President from February 2008 until December 2014. During this period of almost seven years, his contribution has been immeasurable,” Mr Knott said.
“On behalf of all our members, I thank him immensely for the significant role he has played in AREEA’s growth and success in recent years.”
New board to lead in 2015
Mr Owen joins AREEA’s Board following the valuable addition of two other new AREEA Board Directors in 2014, Gold Fields’ Richard Weston and Woodside Energy chief operating officer Michael Utsler.
Mr Weston has been Gold Fields’ Executive Vice-President, Australasia Region, for more than four years, bringing a strong track record of leadership positions within the global mining, oil and gas sectors. Mr Utsler enjoyed an impressive 35-year career with BP and Amoco before joining Woodside as COO in 2013.
The AREEA Board of Directors now comprises:
- Ian Smith, Managing Director & CEO, Orica Ltd
- Graeme Hunt, Managing Director & CEO, Broadspectrum
- Johnpaul Dimech, CEO, Sodexo Australia & New Zealand
- Richard Weston, Executive Vice President, Australasia, Gold Fields Ltd
- Michael Utsler, Chief Operating Officer, Woodside Energy Ltd.
- Richard Owen, Chairman, ExxonMobil Australia.
“AREEA’s Board of Directors comprises senior executives from across the mining, resource services and hydrocarbons sectors. The talent and breadth of our Directors reflects very strongly on the diversity and strength of AREEA’s wider membership,” Mr Knott said.
“On behalf of AREEA and our wide membership, I pass on our appreciation of their time and input as AREEA progresses our vision of ensuring Australia’s resource industry is an attractive place to employ people, invest and do business during 2015 and beyond.”
The biographies of AREEA’s Board Members can be read here.
