Ex-Ithaca CEO joins Jersey Oil & Gas board

UK-focused oil and gas company Jersey Oil & Gas (JOG) has announced the appointment of Les Thomas to its board as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect.

Thomas has over 35 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, in various subsurface, engineering, operational and senior management positions, Jersey said on Tuesday.

He was formerly CEO of Ithaca Energy from 2013 to 2020 and previously served for eight years on the board of John Wood Group as Chief Executive of its Production Facilities business and the Group Director responsible for HSE.

Prior to this, he spent 22 years with Marathon Oil UK Limited in various locations and roles, including four years as European Business Unit Leader.

Thomas left Ithaca in 2020 and was replaced by Bill Dunnett, who was a former CEO of Repsol Sinopec Resources.

Thomas is also an independent director of Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited, a joint venture between Repsol and Sinopec with a UK North Sea portfolio, as well as serving as a Non-Executive Director of Avingtrans, an AIM quoted engineering and manufacturing business.

Marcus Stanton, Chairman of Jersey Oil & Gas, commented: “We are very pleased to welcome Les to the company as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Throughout his career to date, he has helped oil companies to develop projects successfully, deploying subsurface, commercial and project management expertise.

“Most recently, he led Ithaca Energy through a significant growth phase, including the acquisition of Chevron’s UK North Sea portfolio. His wealth of experience in the UK North Sea leading upstream and services businesses will be of significant value to JOG as we progress our Greater Buchan Area development project and take the company through its next phase of growth.”

In related news, Jersey Oil & Gas has recently completed its acquisition of the entire issued share capital of CIECO V&C, owned by Japan’s ITOCHU Corporation and JOGMEC.