Giles Clarke (Chairman)
Mr Clarke (57) has considerable experience in the City and a number of commercial interests. He is Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board and Chairman of several private organisations. He founded Majestic Wine in 1981 and built it into a national chain of wine warehouses. He also co-founded Pet City in 1990, which he expanded nationwide before it was listed and subsequently sold in 1996 for $150 million. He also co-founded Safestore plc and orchestrated the sale of the company to Bridgepoint in 2003.
John Wardle (Executive Director - Chief Executive Officer)
Dr Wardle (51) holds a B.Sc. in Mining Engineering from the University of Nottingham and a Ph.D. in Rock Mechanics and Geophysics from the University of Wales. He is an experienced drilling engineer, having worked with BP, and has held a number of senior management positions with oil exploration companies. Dr Wardle began his experience in Colombia in 1994, when he was working for BP Exploration Colombia, and subsequently was General Manager for Emerald Energy in Colombia, where he was responsible for the discovery of the Campo Rico and Vigia oilfields.
Victor M. Valdovinos (Regional Director - South America)
Mr Valdovinos (46) is a Paraguayan lawyer, with a Masters degree in Energy and Environmental Law from Tulane University School of Law, and is resident in Asunción. He has been a legal adviser to both the United Nations Development Programme and the Minister of the Environment for the Government of Paraguay and has a professional affiliation to the Environmental Law Institute in Washington. Mr Valdovinos is the Group's Regional Director for South America, dealing with administrative issues in Paraguay and Colombia.
Nick Harrison (Finance Director)
Mr Harrison (52) is a graduate of Liverpool University. He qualified with Arthur Andersen and subsequently worked at Deloittes, Midland Bank (International) and Coopers & Lybrand. He was Finance Director of Pet City plc and has been Finance Director of a number of private companies with international activities.
Douglas Ellenor (Non Executive Director - Technical)
Mr Ellenor (67) has over 37 years experience in the E&P industry, having spent 25 of those on international assignments with the Royal Dutch Shell Group in Australasia, Europe, and North and South America. Douglas left Royal Dutch Shell in 1996 after four years as CEO of the Shell Companies of Colombia to become CEO of the Colombian E&P company Hocol SA, a position he held until 1998. After a posting as Business Development Director in London with Nimir Petroleum Limited, he returned to Canada and established an oil and gas consulting company. In 2002 Douglas returned to Hocol SA on temporary assignment as CEO, serving until end 2004. In 2004-05 he was CEO of Orca Petroleum Inc.
George Woodcock (Non Executive Director – Technical)
Mr Woodcock (71) holds a degree in Pure and Applied Physics from the University of Salford, and started his career in the oil industry in 1968 when he joined BP Exploration. During 20 years with BP he occupied multiple technical and managerial posts, most notably Vice President Exploration and Production BP Developments Australia (North West Shelf Project), and Chief Geophysicist BP Colombia, where he was responsible for the discovery of the Cusiana field. On leaving BP George was head of interpretation for Sirte Oil in Libya and General Manager of Tuskar Petroleum, running the Rubiales field in Colombia from 1990 to 1992. Subsequently George has co-founded and managed various private exploration companies in Colombia including Copeco, Expet and Petex, in addition to undertaking extensive technical consultancy work.
Mr Clarke (57) has considerable experience in the City and a number of commercial interests. He is Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board and Chairman of several private organisations. He founded Majestic Wine in 1981 and built it into a national chain of wine warehouses. He also co-founded Pet City in 1990, which he expanded nationwide before it was listed and subsequently sold in 1996 for $150 million. He also co-founded Safestore plc and orchestrated the sale of the company to Bridgepoint in 2003.
John Wardle (Executive Director - Chief Executive Officer)
Dr Wardle (51) holds a B.Sc. in Mining Engineering from the University of Nottingham and a Ph.D. in Rock Mechanics and Geophysics from the University of Wales. He is an experienced drilling engineer, having worked with BP, and has held a number of senior management positions with oil exploration companies. Dr Wardle began his experience in Colombia in 1994, when he was working for BP Exploration Colombia, and subsequently was General Manager for Emerald Energy in Colombia, where he was responsible for the discovery of the Campo Rico and Vigia oilfields.
Victor M. Valdovinos (Regional Director - South America)
Mr Valdovinos (46) is a Paraguayan lawyer, with a Masters degree in Energy and Environmental Law from Tulane University School of Law, and is resident in Asunción. He has been a legal adviser to both the United Nations Development Programme and the Minister of the Environment for the Government of Paraguay and has a professional affiliation to the Environmental Law Institute in Washington. Mr Valdovinos is the Group's Regional Director for South America, dealing with administrative issues in Paraguay and Colombia.
Nick Harrison (Finance Director)
Mr Harrison (52) is a graduate of Liverpool University. He qualified with Arthur Andersen and subsequently worked at Deloittes, Midland Bank (International) and Coopers & Lybrand. He was Finance Director of Pet City plc and has been Finance Director of a number of private companies with international activities.
Douglas Ellenor (Non Executive Director - Technical)
Mr Ellenor (67) has over 37 years experience in the E&P industry, having spent 25 of those on international assignments with the Royal Dutch Shell Group in Australasia, Europe, and North and South America. Douglas left Royal Dutch Shell in 1996 after four years as CEO of the Shell Companies of Colombia to become CEO of the Colombian E&P company Hocol SA, a position he held until 1998. After a posting as Business Development Director in London with Nimir Petroleum Limited, he returned to Canada and established an oil and gas consulting company. In 2002 Douglas returned to Hocol SA on temporary assignment as CEO, serving until end 2004. In 2004-05 he was CEO of Orca Petroleum Inc.
George Woodcock (Non Executive Director – Technical)
Mr Woodcock (71) holds a degree in Pure and Applied Physics from the University of Salford, and started his career in the oil industry in 1968 when he joined BP Exploration. During 20 years with BP he occupied multiple technical and managerial posts, most notably Vice President Exploration and Production BP Developments Australia (North West Shelf Project), and Chief Geophysicist BP Colombia, where he was responsible for the discovery of the Cusiana field. On leaving BP George was head of interpretation for Sirte Oil in Libya and General Manager of Tuskar Petroleum, running the Rubiales field in Colombia from 1990 to 1992. Subsequently George has co-founded and managed various private exploration companies in Colombia including Copeco, Expet and Petex, in addition to undertaking extensive technical consultancy work.