Proserv Appoints Country Manager in Nigeria

International energy technology services company Proserv has reinforced its expanding global reach by appointing a country manager in one of West Africa’s fast-emerging provinces.

Olu Phillips takes up the post in Nigeria where Proserv has experienced rapid growth in demand for its integrated services and specialist technology.

Olu, who has extensive experience in the African and international marketplace, will be responsible for overseeing the company’s operations in the region.

He said: “The market in Nigeria is very dynamic and the oil & gas opportunities are immense. An ambitious company like Proserv is well placed to capitalise upon these opportunities and I am very excited about the prospects of building upon the company’s presence in the region where it already has an operational base in Port Harcourt with plans to open a second office in Lagos.”

Olu was previously chief financial officer (CFO) for oil & gas services company, MRS, with responsibility for a wide geographic remit spanning from Nigeria, Senegal and Guinea to the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Togo. Having initially joined MRS in 2009 as finance director for Nigeria, Olu was made CFO in 2010 and held this position for three years. Prior to this, he worked for Vetco Gray as financial controller for Nigeria.

Proserv Region President Brian Kinsey, Europe & West Africa, said: “Olu brings considerable experience of Nigeria’s marketplace to Proserv. Through his knowledge of the industry and network of connections in the region, we look forward to Olu playing a pivotal role in helping the team at Proserv to further realise its vision for strategic growth in Nigeria. The company has already been operating in Nigeria for a number of years during which we have worked on a diverse range of projects within the subsea arena including Shell’s Bonga development and Addax Petroleum’s Erha project.”

The appointment of a country manager for Nigeria follows recent success in West Africa for Proserv. During May, the company announced it had won a multi-million dollar contract in Angola to design and manufacture a subsea sampling system for BP’s PSVM field development. Operating at a depth of 2,000 metres, the system is believed to be the deepest offshore project in Africa.

Olu, who was born in the UK to Nigerian parents, studied for ACCA (Association of Certified Chartered Accountants) in London before studying for an MBA at Edinburgh Business School. He worked in the UK for more than 10 years across a number of different industries including an international newspaper company and a global cement producer before moving to Nigeria in 2003. Olu, who is now a fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered of Accountants, lives with his family in Lagos.

He said: “Through my financial background, I am able to recognise market trends and emerging business opportunities. I look forward to utilising this knowledge at Proserv and through working to expand its activity in Nigeria, helping to reinforce the company’s fast-evolving global footprint.”

Proserv, which is headquartered in Aberdeenshire, UK, is a global-leading energy production technology services company with a 35-year track record in delivering bespoke technologies and services for the energy industry, particularly in the drilling, production, subsea and decommissioning market sectors. The company operates worldwide across several regions and currently employs more than 1,900 people globally.

The firm’s market activity spans a diverse range of the oil & gas industry while its high-profile portfolio of clients includes major international operators; national oil companies, leading services companies and small independents.

Press Release, October 31, 2013