Noble Helium Ltd (ASX:NHE, OTC:NBHEF, FRA:GN1) has appointed experienced oil and gas finance executive Jani Surjan as chief financial officer, effective July 6, 2026, as the company prepares for the next stage of development at its North Rukwa helium project in Tanzania.
The appointment follows Owain Franks’ transition from the CFO role and forms part of Noble’s planned refocusing of its board and management team.
Surjan is a chartered accountant with more than 30 years of commercial and public practice experience, predominantly across the oil and gas sector.
He has previously held senior finance roles including CFO positions at ASX-listed Warrego Energy Ltd and Nido Petroleum Ltd, as well as senior roles with Hancock Energy, Tap Oil Ltd and St John of God Health Care Group. His experience spans financial reporting, treasury, debt financing, budgeting, forecasting and taxation.
Surjan joined Noble Helium in March 2026 as group financial controller before being elevated to CFO.
Kinambo campaign in focus
The appointment comes as Noble moves into what it describes as its next phase of growth, with the Kinambo drilling campaign scheduled to spud in August 2026.
Noble recently sharpened plans for its upcoming Kinambo helium drilling campaign in Tanzania, with 3D seismic reprocessing and gravity anomaly analysis identifying two optimised firm well locations and lowering operational risk.
The updated interpretation led Noble to adjust the first planned well location at Kinambo, on the western flank of its 100%-owned North Rukwa Project. Rig mobilisation is now expected in July 2026, ahead of the Kinambo-1 well spudding in August 2026.
The move reflects its efforts to build and focus the executive team needed to support the company through its next stage of development.
Executive chairman Dennis Donald said the company was “extremely fortunate” to have an executive of Surjan’s calibre join the team as CFO, adding that he had strong confidence in Surjan’s skills and abilities.