On 1 May, 2019 Alex joined Eni’s branch in Kazakhstan. On 29 June, 2019 Alex was appointed as the Managing Director of Arm Wind, a 100% subsidiary of Eni Plenitude, operating renewable projects and expanding Eni renewable energy portfolio in the Country.
In March 2020, Arm Wind launched its first renewable energy project, Badamsha-1, a 48MW Wind Farm, and in March 2022 inaugurated Badamsha-2, a further 48MW Wind Farm in Aktobe region. To date, the wind turbines of Badamsha-2 Wind Farm are the largest ever installed in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, a 50 MW photovoltaic power plant near Shauldir settlement, Turkistan Oblast (South of Kazakhstan), inaugurated in September 2023.
Prior to his current appointment, Alex was responsible for renewables activity development at IEOC, Eni’s subsidiary in Egypt, since 2017. A few years earlier Alex worked at Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (KPO), where he covered the position of Corporate Governance Controller from Eni’s Exploration and Production Division.
Alex trained in Business Administration and his current experience in renewable energy is complemented by previous professional experience in investor relations, audit and compliance management, business planning and development, sustainability, reputational stakeholder and financial partner relationship management, carbon management.
- Stephen Conner, General Manager for Operations, TCO
Stephen graduated University of Southwestern Louisiana in Engineering/Industrial Management.
He got bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University in Petroleum Engineering in 1984.
He has been working in Chevron for more than 5 years in various leadership roles as Operations Manager in the UK, Planning Manager in Thailand, Operation Manager in Gulf of Mexico, Country Manager in Colombia. Since 2022 he is General Manager of Operations at TCO where he oversees the production of the biggest asset in Kazakshtan – Tengiz. Currently, he has been contributing to the optimization of production in Tengiz. In 2022 TCO was the biggest taxpayer in Kazakhstan.
- Arfan Khan, CEO, Nostrum Group
Arfan Khan occupies the position of Chief Executive Officer & Director at Nostrum Oil & Gas Plc. Arfan Khan is also Member of Society of Petroleum Engineers in United Kingdom. He previously was President at Stratum Energy Group Ltd., Chief Operating Officer & Executive Director at Amni International Petroleum Development Co. Ltd. and Director-Petroleum Engineering at Maersk Oil Angola. Arfan received an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and an MBA from A.B. Freeman School of Business.
- Wei Yuxiang, General Director, CNPC Kazakhstan
Wei Yuxiang was born in 1963. He graduated from the South-West Petroleum Institute with the diploma of Oil Production Technology. Wei Yuxiang has been working in the industry more than 24 years, 16 years of which he has been holding engineering and managerial positions. He has been working in senior positions with CNCP for more than 20 years. CNPC is one of the biggest oil and gas investors and Wei has been contributing to the development of oil and gas industry of Kazakhstan.
- Alex Stillavato, Managing Director, Eni Plenitude Arm Wind
In 2019 Alex was appointed Renewable Energy Project Manager of the Eni branch in Kazakhstan and Managing Director of ArmWind LLP. The main objective of his activity is to expand the activities of Eni in the field of use of renewable energy sources in Kazakhstan.
Since 2017, Alex held a similar position at IEOC, a subsidiary of Eni in Egypt. A few years earlier, Alex worked at KPO where he headed the corporate governance control service from Eni.
Alex got his degree from University of Bocconi, Milan, in Business Administration and his current experience in the renewable energy sector is complemented by previous professional experience in the areas of investor relations, audit and compliance management, business planning and development, sustainability, and reputational relationship management with stakeholders and financial partners, control and regulation of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, gas combustion.
- Oscar van der Weide, KPO Project Execution Director
Oscar graduated from Eindhoven University of Technology in hot fluids dynamics and Henley Business School with MBA degree.
Oscar has been working for Shell and its subsidiaries since 1990. Before this appointment, he held the position of General Manager Projects Digital, Shell Projects & Technology, Bangalore, India. Oscar has extensive experience in engineering and project management. His professional background includes managerial roles in Shell affiliates in Netherlands, UK, Nigeria, India and Kazakhstan.
Oscar has been actively involved in the operation of Karachaganak field and supporting the development of oil and gas industry of Kazakhstan and local content as well.
- Damon Thornburg, General Manager finance, Chevron Eurasia Business Unit
Damon Thornburg is the Finance General Manager of Chevron’s Eurasia Business Unit and CEO of Chevron Direct Investment Fund Ltd. He is based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, a position effective since February 2021.
Previously Damon served as the General Manager for Enterprise Finance at Chevron Downstream & Chemicals, a position based in San Ramon, California, that he assumed in 2017.
Prior to that, he held several positions of increasing scope and responsibility at Chevron Corporation, including Manager of Corporate Forecasts & Reporting; Country Finance Manager for Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam; Finance General Manager for Greater China based in Hong Kong; and multiple other positions based in the United States.
Damon holds a degree in Economics from University of Wyoming and a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University.
Damon manages the investment fund that discloses its activities in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed on October 11, 2021, between the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan and Chevron to create an investment fund in the amount of $248.5 million.
The Fund will invest in local content development, job creation, enterprise development, experience, and technology transfer.
- Stephen Dazet, Drilling Director, NCOC
Stephen graduated from Mississippi State University with degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1982. He stared his career in Chevron, then worked as senior drilling engineer in Shell.
He is Drilling Director in NCOC seconded from ExxonMobil. In ExxonMobil he has been working for more than 25 years occupying various leadership roles in operations, drilling in the USA, Angola, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil.
In NCOC Stephen is actively supporting local talent development as well as supports Kazakhstani content development.
- Li Shufeng, General Director, CNPC-Aktobemunaigas
Li Shufeng was born in 1976 in China. In 2003, he graduated from the Scientific Research Institute for Development and Exploration CNPC with a degree in engineering development of oil and gas fields. In previous years, he worked as head of the planning department, deputy chief economist of CNPC, deputy general director of the CNPC branch for the Central Asian region, line manager at Petro Kazakhstan and since April 2022, deputy general director of CNPC-Aktobemunaigas JSC. He has high professional competence, deep knowledge in the field of international oil and gas business, effective management skills in the field of neutralizing business risks, experience in projects for the development of “green” technologies, and the ability to manage work teams. Under his management, CNPC-Aktobemunaigas is one of the biggest taxpayers in Kazakhstan and has been working to promote local content development.
- Laurie Sasko, General Manager, Marketing & Transportation, TCO
Laurie is Canadian, he graduated from CanadianUniversity of Saskatchewanwithbachelor’s degree in commerce, finance, and financial management services in 1986. He started his career as Financial Analyst, LPG Trading Analyst, Crude Trader in Calgary, Canada. During 1999 to 2022 he worked in Atyrau, Kazakhstan as coordinator and business development manager at TCO.
Over the years he worked in leadership positions as Commercial Manager, Wheatstone LNG in Perth, Australia, Commercial Manager in Malampaya in Philippines. Laurie has been working with Chevron in various leadership roles as General Manager North America for upstream commercial, Commercial & Planning Manager in Venezuela, Planning Manager in Perth, Australia. Since 2019 he is General Manager for Marketing & Transportation in TCO. He is responsible for marketing of crude oil and associated products to world market. Laurie is actively involved in the development of oil and gas industry of Kazakhstan.
- Giorgio Castriota, General Manager for Operations, NCOC
Giorgio graduated from university of Bologna, La Sapienza in Rome, Italy. He worked in various positions in Eni (Agip KCO) as Production Engineer, Asset Performance Specialist, Process Engineering Supervisor, Head of Onshore Production. In Eni he occupied management positions as maintenance, production, field operations manager. Before joining NCOC as General Manager for Operations in 2021 he worked as technical Division Manager and Deputy General Manager District in Nigerian Agip Oil Company.
- Jerrod Hunt, Maintenance Superintendent, TCO
Jerrod graduated from Mississippi State University in Mechanical Engineering and William Carey University in MBA. Jerrod worked in various positions as Facilities Manager, Maintenance Supervisor, FEED Buildings and Utilities Delivery Manager in the USA. He was maintenance and reliability manager in Angola, LNG Construction manager, Infrastructure delivery manager in Australia. Since 2020 he is TCO maintenance superintendent where he will oversee the biggest maintenance activities in oil and gas sector in Kazakhstan.
- Quintin Goldie, Director, Bolashak Group
Quintin joined Bolashak in November 2010 initially as Operations Director, and was appointed Managing Director in 2011, subsequently taking over the role of Chief Executive Officer with overall responsibility for all companies in the Bolashak Group. Quintin has thirty five years’ experience in providing a wide range of technical and industrial services to the Oil and Gas and construction industries. Prior to joining Bolashak, Quintin successfully managed an industrial services company in Baku, and subsequently introduced the company into the Kazakhstan market. The company underwent a period of fast profitable growth, which led to their acquisition by a major international provider of industrial services. Quintin’s wide experience, knowledge and passion for the industry have been a great asset in leading Bolashak. He has focused on strengthening the Safety and Quality cultures in Bolashak’s Group, as well as developing the Group’s management team. Under Quintin’s stewardship, Bolashak’s place in the market has strengthened greatly and is well-positioned for further growth over the coming years.
Quintin could grow company that became one of the biggest taxpayers in Kazakhstan as well as the biggest service provider.
- Hisham Kawash, Regional Managing Director, CCC CIS, Oman, Kuwait, PNG
Hisham has been working for Сonsolidated Contractors International Company for more than 36 years. Since 2020 he has been working in Kazakhstan.
The company is one of the leaders of the local content support. Previously, CCC under Hisham Kawash’s leadership spent more than $1 billion on local goods, services and also nationalized 97% of personnel. Hisham pays attention to developing the capabilities of local workers. More than 15000 Kazakhstani personnel were trained in accordance with international standards, 2500 people received vocational training at the CCEP vocational training center. The company worked with more than 700 Kazakhstani subcontractors and 350 Kazakhstani suppliers of goods.
- Alfredo Marco Madau, Maintenance Manager, KPO
Alfredo graduated from University of Cagliari, Italy. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Alfredo works for Eni and occupies the position of maintenance manager at KPO since 2022. Prior to that, he was maintenance engineering manager for global operations, deputy maintenance manager in Egypt, asset integrity technical manager in KPO.
- Stephen O’Callaghan, General Director, Kent Kazakhstan.
Stephen has spent over 35 Years in the Oil and Gas industry. Prior to joining Kent, Stephen held senior positions with Kentz & SNC Lavalin in Australia, Canada, Africa and Middle East.
In 2014 Kentz were acquired by SNC Lavalin. In August 2021, KKTS acquired the Oil and Gas business of SNC Lavalin, bringing the workforce from 3,500 employees to 10,000 and with it, a hugely expanded talent pool.
Stephen joined Kent in 2019 and during his first year the company was awarded the System Completions Scope for the 3GI FGP Project operated by Tengizchevroil. Stephen as leader of company has made a considerable contribution to the development of Local Content in the Oil & Gas Industry in Atyrau Oblast, Zhyloy District. During the work in TCO FGP local content of Kent works, services, goods achieved 68% accounting to over $100 million.
- Rohan S’Souza, Strategy and Business Director, NCOC
Rohan got degree from University of Melbourne, Australia. He started his career as political adviser in the Office of Federal Senator. Over the years, he worked as director of Foreign Investors Association of Albania, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Albania. With Shell he worked as Business Development Manager for Asia, Commercial/Technical Advisor for Gorgon LNG Project, Business Analyst for Downstream Retail. Since 2021 he has been working Strategy and Business Director at NCOC.
- Peter Absalom, Operation Director, Novus Bolashak
Peter graduated from Coventry University, and he has more than thirty-five years global experience in the Energy, Infrastructure and Defense Sectors and within the Oil, Gas and Power Sectors specifically. He worked for various companies including such companies as Fluor. He has excellent communication, negotiation, technical and inter-personal skills, able to train and motivate a team to produce quality results. Novus Bolashak is commissioning provider for FGP TCO project and one of the biggest service providers in Kazakhstani oil and gas sector.
- Bao Vang, FGP Commissioning Director, TCO
Bao Vang was appointed FGP Commissioning Director in October 2023. Prior to that, she held position of senior 3GI project manager (3rd generation gas injection plant). In this role Bao manages the completion (commissioning) of the TCO FGP project.
Bao has been with Chevron for over 14 years. She has been working on the Tengiz project since 2019.
Over the years, Bao worked in Indonesia, Canada, and the USA on various projects with Chevron.
- Imtiyaz Hussain, Project Services Manager, KPO
Imtiyaz has been working for KPO since 2018 where he held positions of project control manager and project services manager in project execution department. He worked for Shell for more than 13 years in Australia, the UAE as project coordination engineer, project services lead, lead cost planning engineer. He also worked in India, Oman and in India for Saipem.
– Yang Mingyu, President of PetroKazakhstan Inc., President of PetroKazakhstan Kumkol Resources
Yang Mingyu holds a bachelor`s degree in oil and gas production from Daqing Petroleum Institute, PRC and a master`s degree in economics from Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics. Yang has more than 26 years of experience in the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). Prior to joining PetroKazakhstan, Yang held senior positions in finance of CNPC-Aktobemunaigas, including head of the finance department. From 2006 to 2010, he headed finance department of PetroKazakhstan Kumkol Resources in Kyzylorda. From 2010 to 2016, he held senior positions in finance department of CNPC International in Kazakhstan in Almaty and Beijing. Since 2016, he held the position of vice president for finance of PetroKazakhstan Overseas Services Inc in Almaty.