Kinetiko Energy Ltd (ASX:KKO) has made a key change to its South African leadership team with the appointment of highly experienced oil & gas executive Nick de Blocq as the new chief executive officer.
This appointment is expected to drive planned strategic growth post-merger, as it will bring considerable African oil & gas operational and technical expertise.
The new CEO will succeed the company’s long-standing CEO Johan Visage who is retiring after making a considerable contribution to the company’s development.
“To become leading clean energy source”
Kinetiko’s executive chairman Adam Sierakowski said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Nick de Blocq as CEO at this time.
“His appointment will bring considerable expertise, in particular with his deep African drilling, project development and operational experience which is ideal as we continue to execute our next phase growth plan.
“This opportunity has come about through the years of dedication and commitment from the company’s outgoing CEO Johan Visage who is deservedly retiring after a long career in the sector.
“The company is strongly poised in the current domestic and global energy market to aggressively pursue its strategy to become a leading clean energy source in South Africa, and Nick’s appointment is highly complementary to our strategy.”
Extensive managerial and operational skillset
Nick de Blocq has more than 33 years of experience in the global oil & gas exploration and production industry with major companies such as Schlumberger, Frank’s International, SEPCO Industries and Moz Environmental.
He brings to board an extensive managerial and operational skillset with multi-country general management, operations, business development and sales and marketing.
This includes roles as a continental vice president for an American corporate and more recently the country manager and COO for regional companies in both East and West Africa.
“Help alleviate national energy shortage”
Kinetiko’s incoming CEO said: “The company has a terrific project and perfect opportunity to develop into a major onshore gas producer and is poised on the cusp of becoming a substantial source of high-quality gas to help alleviate the national energy shortage.
“I am looking forward to working with some of the best geophysical and operational solutions providers on the continent as we realise this potential.
“From my first visit to West Africa in 1988, followed by managing operations and business in over 30 African countries (and 30 more globally), I have been successful in achieving objectives in the most difficult and complex environments, and I am very comfortable about delivering success for this project in my home country.”
Kinetiko Energy is a gas explorer focused on advanced shallow conventional gas and coal bed methane (CBM) opportunities in rapidly developing markets in Southern Africa.
South Africa has extensive gassy coal basins, extensive energy infrastructure and a growing gas demand, making it an attractive area for investment.
The company has a large potential exploration area, of which approximately 7000 square kilometres is granted and being explored.
- Ephrems Joseph