Step Change in Safety announces new co-Chairs and members on its Leadership Team

02.05.2019

Matt Rhodes, Director UK & Turkmenistan Oil and Gas, Bristow Helicopters; Craig Wiggins, Senior Vice President Global Head of Health, Safety, Security and the Environment, Aker Solutions; and co-Chair, Step Change in Safety. Bob Fennell, Aberdeen General Manager and Operations Director, Chrysaor; and co-Chair, Step Change in Safety; Mark Hobbs, Vice President, North Sea Region Operations, Apache.

Step Change in Safety is pleased to announce the appointment of two new co-Chairs and a duo of new members to its Leadership Team.

Bob Fennell, Operations Director at Chrysaor; and Craig Wiggins, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Health, Safety, Security and the Environment (HSSE) at Aker Solutions; have taken on the roles of joint Chairs for a two-year term.

The Leadership Team is responsible for planning and monitoring the activities of Step Change in Safety, the not-for-profit body which works to raise oil and gas industry standards and share good safety practice.

Bob Fennell spent the first twenty years of his career working in senior drilling and completion roles at BP, Elf, Transocean and Nexen before moving into Operations and joining Chrysaor in 2016 as Aberdeen General Manager and Operations Director.

Upon his appointment to the Step Change in Safety Leadership Team, Bob said; “I’m delighted to have been appointed to the position of co-chair as I have been involved with the Leadership of Step Change in Safety since 2011 and believe the work we do to create a common approach to safety is crucial for our industry. The forum for engagement of the entire workforce, operators, contractors and safety reps is extremely powerful in influencing the safety of our people.’

Craig Wiggins has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry and has held operational and functional leadership roles with companies including Petrofac, BP and Shell. In 2015, he joined Aker Solutions where he’s held different roles in maintenance, modification and operations before becoming senior vice president of global health, safety, security and environment. Commenting on his new role as co-Chair Craig said; “I have been involved with Step Change in Safety for 3 years and I’m incredibly honoured to become co-Chair of the organisation’s Leadership Team. I am passionate about simplification and reducing risk and I look forward to building on the success that Step Change in Safety has had in making sure that the people working in the front line of the UK oil and gas industry, have the highest safety standards.”

The pair follow on from Erik-Jan Bijvank, regional vice president of Stork’s UK, Middle East, Africa and Australia regions; and Donald Taylor, Managing Director of TAQA who previously held the positions.

The new co-Chairs are also joined by two new additions to the Leadership Team - Mark Hobbs, Vice President, North Sea Region Operations, Apache; and Matt Rhodes, Director of UK & Turkmenistan O&G Operations, Bristow Helicopters Ltd.

Mark was recently promoted to the position of Vice President, North Sea Region Operations at Apache and is also responsible for the company’s North Sea Projects Group. A chemical engineer by profession, Mark worked for companies including BP and British Gas before joining Houston-based Apache in 2003 following the acquisition of the North Sea Forties field from BP. Mark said; “I’m delighted to join the Leadership Team of Step Change in Safety and I’m confident that we can continue to deliver proactive and meaningful engagement between senior leaders, unions, the Regulator and the workforce.”

Matt Rhodes leads Bristow’s UK-registered energy sector helicopter operations. He has responsibility for its engineering, safety, compliance, flight and ground activities, headquartered in Aberdeen and serving the region from bases in Shetland and Norwich. Having joined Bristow Helicopters as a cadet in 1998, Matt has risen through the ranks within the company, including flying for several years as Chief Pilot in Aberdeen. Matt adds: “Step Change in Safety’s support for the industry, in bringing companies together to share and develop best practice through close cooperation and communication is essential. The organisation strives to continuously improve safety, which is the first issue we all consider as we go to work every day, and I welcome the opportunity to help guide and contribute to that absolutely vital effort.”

The Step Change in Safety Leadership Team includes senior managers and official from member companies, industry-related trade associations, trade unions, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), along with the onshore and offshore workforce.

Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, UK









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