NextDecade’s founder Kathleen Eisbrenner passes

US LNG export project developer NextDecade informed that its founder and chairman, Kathleen Eisbrenner, passed away aged 58. 

Eisbrenner founded NextDecade in 2010 and led the company to its listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market in July 2017.

She served jointly as chairman and chief executive officer until February 2018, and remained as NextDecade’s chairman of the board of directors until her death, the company said in its statement.

She was formerly executive vice president at Royal Dutch Shell, where she was responsible for the management of the company’s global LNG portfolio and LNG trading business.

Prior to Shell, Eisbrenner was the founder and CEO of Excelerate Energy, focused on developing the floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) vessel and industry. She also held various senior management positions at El Paso Energy.

Eisbrenner was an independent director of Exmar and a member of the American Bureau of Shipping, JERA’s Fuel Business Expert Advisory Board, and Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas.

She was also a former member of the board of directors of Chesapeake Energy and the National Petroleum Council.