UK: Harkand Strengthens Senior Management Team

Harkand has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of three senior figures as the company embarks on the next stage in its growth strategy.

Kevin Gorman has joined as vice president of HR. One of two new newly created Group positions, his appointment will allow Harkand to strengthen its capacity as it looks to grow its current 750-strong global workforce. He is joined by new Group general counsel Colin Forbes. John Ewen has been appointed general manager for Harkand ISS, which serves Europe, Harkand’s largest region. All three posts will be based in Aberdeen.

“This is a very exciting time for our group,” said Nicolas Mouté, CEO of Harkand. “These latest appointments will form an important part of our new business strategy as we look to expand our global footprint. The expertise and knowledge that Colin, John and Kevin bring to the table will be invaluable in helping us achieve our plans for continued growth in the coming years.”

David Kerr, managing director of Harkand ISS added “We are experiencing strong demand for our services and in addition to the significant investment we are making in developing our portfolio of assets, bringing in someone with the talent and market reputation of John Ewen is a key step to grow our business and maintain our reputation for providing high quality services to our clients.”

Harkand aims to become a leading global name in subsea inspection, repair and maintenance, focused on attaining the highest standards in health, safety, quality and environmental performance along with first class project execution.

Gorman brings with him a wealth of experience across the construction, engineering and oil and gas industries both within the UK and internationally. Most recently HR director at Subsea 7 where he oversaw the merger with Acergy, he will be responsible for developing Harkand’s HR strategy including resourcing, training and development, compensation and benefits, and employee and industrial relations.

Forbes joins Harkand after almost a decade as Eastern Hemisphere legal counsel for Oceaneering International. He will be responsible for all group legal matters.

Ewen, an industry veteran with more than 20 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, was most recently division manager for Saipem Ltd in Aberdeen. His expertise in subsea projects will see him support managing director David Kerr in Harkand’s European operations.

Nicolas Mouté added, “Harkand is a rapidly evolving, dynamic business and the development of our robust management team will not only strengthen our capacity across key areas of our organisation, it will provide the platform for sustainable growth going forward.”

The Group was launched in February 2013 through the merger of Iremis, Integrated Subsea Services (ISS) and Andrews Survey following investment by Oaktree Capital Management. Employing 750 people at bases in Aberdeen in the UK, Dubai in the Middle East and Singapore and Perth in Asia Pacific, Harkand aims to grow turnover to US$1 billion in the next five years.

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Press Release, May 15, 2013