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Christopher McDonald takes the helm at Lamprell

Christopher McDonald takes the helm at Lamprell
The lengthy search for Jim Moffat’s successor at UAE rig builder Lamprell is over with Christopher McDonald unveiled as ceo and director.

The 49-year-old American brings 24 years of experience in the oil and gas engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) industry, most recently as evp and group head of business development with Petrofac in the UAE where he had overall accountability for global sales.

McDonald will officially succeed Moffat on October 1 but will start work on September 13 in a transitional role. Moffat, who announced his retirement late last year but agreed to stay on beyond his planned final day of June 30 as the recruitment process rolled on, will take up a part-time consultancy role until March next year following the handover. He will relinquish his directorship as of September 30 this year.

With a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from New York Ivy League institution Cornell University as a launching pad, McDonald has complied extensive EPC and oilfield service sector experience in the US, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East.  

He joined Petrofac in 2011 as svp offshore projects and operations (UAE and Malaysia), helping the group's global entry into the shallow water offshore EPIC market and geographic expansion into Asia Pacific. He was promoted to his current role in 2012 and became a member of Petrofac's executive committee.

From 2007 to 2010, McDonald co-founded a boutique private equity firm and became ceo of one of its portfolio companies based in London. Prior to that he spent 18 years with Halliburton/KBR, starting his career with five years in engineering before progressing through the sales function to become commercial vp (Singapore/Australia) and spending seven years in London where he became vp and officer with responsibility for the KBR Development Company and the KBR/JGC gas alliance.

Lamprell chairman John Kennedy, who like Moffat was due to retire following the company’s annual meeting in May but remains, welcomed McDonald’s appointment.

"I am absolutely delighted that we have managed to secure the appointment of someone of Christopher's calibre and experience. He has an outstanding track record with two of the most respected companies in our industry and he brings a significant depth of leadership capability and market knowledge,” Kennedy said.

McDonald joins at a challenging time for the offshore sector and for Lamprell which announced on July 26 that it expects to recoup the majority of the remedial costs and “potential damages” from the delayed delivery of a jack-up drilling rig to a key client caused by a third party equipment fault.

Lamprell, a leading provider of diversified fabrication, engineering and contracting services to the onshore and offshore oil and gas and renewable energy industries, has stressed that six other rigs it has under construction are on schedule.

“I am confident that we have secured an outstanding executive to lead the business through the challenging market conditions that we are facing and to succeed Jim Moffat who has made a significant contribution to the success of the business since taking up his role in March 2013,” Kennedy continued.

“I am also pleased that Jim will continue to serve the Company in a part-time consultancy role which will provide a smooth transition."