PRIVATE EQUITY COMMUNITY MOURNS RICHARD RAINWATER

Richard Rainwater, a billionaire investor and a legend in the world of private equity, passed away in Fort Worth, TX, on September 27 after a years-long battle with a rare brain disease. He was 71. Born in Fort Worth, TX, on June 15, 1944, Rainwater earned a mathematics degree at the University of Texas and an MBA on a scholarship to Stanford University. At Stanford he met Sid Bass, a grandson of legendary oilman Sid Williams Richardson. While managing the Bass family's wealth, Rainwater made one of his most memorable deals in 1984-an investment in The Walt Disney Co. that amassed billions for the Bass family. Rainwater started his own private-equity firm, Rainwater Inc., in the late 80s, making successful investments in real estate, the healthcare industry, and more, all while helping to cultivate young talent. He started the Rainwater Charitable Foundation in the early 90s, donating millions of dollars to various education efforts. Following his diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy in 2009, Rainwater started what would become the Tau Consortium to help fund research for various brain diseases. The consortium has received more than $50 million from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation. Richard Rainwater's survivors include his wife, Darla Moore, and his three children from his first marriage.

OPPORTUNE TAPS MARS FOR EUROPEAN PRACTICE

%{[ data-embed-type="image" data-embed-id="5d086d95f6d5f267eec87426" data-embed-element="aside" data-embed-align="right" data-embed-alt="1511ogfjep M01" data-embed-src="https://img.ogj.com/files/base/ebm/ogj/image/2018/08/1511ogfjep_m01.png?auto=format&h=640&w=640" data-embed-caption="" ]}%

Mars

Opportune Consulting Ltd. has appointed Tommy Mars as a managing director in its European practice, headquartered in London. Mars brings more than 15 years of energy industry experience to Opportune. He will focus on expanding Opportune's upstream, midstream, downstream, power, and commodities industry sectors to leverage Opportune's range of energy advisory and consultancy capabilities. Mars previously served an executive in the oil and gas practice at Accenture in Dubai, where he helped build and lead the company's energy practice in the Middle East. He has experience in the upstream, downstream, and oilfield services segments as a consultant with specific experience in leading transformation and strategy, globalization, outsourcing, operations, and strategic planning, all from a development and implementation perspective.

DRONE JOINS BAKER DONELSON

%{[ data-embed-type="image" data-embed-id="5d086d95f6d5f267eec87428" data-embed-element="aside" data-embed-align="right" data-embed-alt="1511ogfjep M02" data-embed-src="https://img.ogj.com/files/base/ebm/ogj/image/2018/08/1511ogfjep_m02.png?auto=format&h=640&w=640" data-embed-caption="" ]}%

Drone

James L. Drone has joined the business litigation group of Baker Donelson. Drone joins as of counsel in the firm's Houston office, where he will focus on bolstering the firm's energy practice in the areas of litigation, labor and employment and commercial transactions. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Drone served as an in-house attorney for more than 40 years. Most recently, he served as associate general counsel and managed global litigation for a large, multi-national company serving the exploration, drilling and production sectors of the oil and gas industry. Drone also has experience drafting and negotiating a myriad of transactions, including domestic and international master service agreements, the purchase and sale of a wide range of assets, and real estate agreements.

LAMPRELL APPOINTS NEW COO

Lamprell Plc, a provider of fabrication, engineering, and contracting services to the onshore and offshore oil and gas and renewable energy industries, has appointed Niall O'Connell as COO. O'Connell joined the group in April 2013 as vice president of projects, and, since October 2014, has been in the role of vice president and general manager of newbuild jackup rigs. He has 20 years of experience in the sector, having spent seven years at KBR with a focus on LNG projects, and, prior to this, 12 years at Cape Industrial Services in a number of international roles. O'Connell also has more than 10 years of experience working in the Middle East.

FORESTAR APPOINTS NEW CFO

Forestar Group Inc. has appointed Charles D. Jehl, executive vice president of oil and gas, as CFO, replacing Christopher L. Nines, who stepped down Sept. 30. Jehn previously served as executive vice president of oil and gas from 2013 to September, 2015. He served as chief accounting officer from 2006 to 2013. Prior to joining Forestar, Jehl served as COO and CFO of Guaranty Insurance Services Inc. A Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Texas, Jehl received his bachelor's degree in accounting from Concordia Lutheran College at Austin.

JACOBS RESIGNS AS COO OF TAG OIL

Frank Jacobs, COO of New Zealand oil and gas producer TAG Oil Ltd., has resigned to pursue other opportunities. The company is initiating a search for a replacement.

AFRICAN PETROLEUM APPOINTS NEW CEO

Dr. Stuart Lake, CEO and executive director of African Petroleum Corp. Ltd., is stepping down with immediate effect due to health reasons. Jens Pace, currently serving as COO, will now assume the role of CEO. Pace is a geoscientist with over 30 years of industry experience, including exploration leadership roles in Africa and other regions for BP. As part of his new role as CEO, it is anticipated that Pace will be joining the board of African Petroleum in due course. He joined the company in 2012.

EIC APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT

%{[ data-embed-type="image" data-embed-id="5d086d95f6d5f267eec8742a" data-embed-element="aside" data-embed-align="right" data-embed-alt="1511ogfjep M03" data-embed-src="https://img.ogj.com/files/base/ebm/ogj/image/2018/08/1511ogfjep_m03.png?auto=format&h=640&w=640" data-embed-caption="" ]}%

Haynes

The Energy Industries Council (EIC), a trade association for UK companies that supply goods and services to the energy industries worldwide, has appointed Chris Haynes as president. Haynes is a senior oil and gas industry professional with almost 40 years' experience with the Shell Group and its affiliates. He has a broad range of experience in oil and gas exploration and production, including in heading up Shell's operations in Syria and delivering the company's major upstream projects worldwide. During his career with Shell, Chris served two secondments: one to Woodside Petroleum's North West Shelf Venture from 1999-2002 as general manager, and subsequently to Nigeria LNG, as managing director. His work in Nigeria earned him an OBE in 2009 for his services to the British oil and gas industry. Since retiring in 2011, Haynes has worked as an independent consultant in the oil and gas and minerals industries and is a non-executive director of WorleyParsons and Woodside Petroleum, also serving on the Health, Safety and Environment Committee of the boards of these companies.

GETZLER HENRICH EXPANDS ENERGY ADVISORY PRACTICE

%{[ data-embed-type="image" data-embed-id="5d086d95f6d5f267eec8742c" data-embed-element="aside" data-embed-align="right" data-embed-alt="1511ogfjep M04" data-embed-src="https://img.ogj.com/files/base/ebm/ogj/image/2018/08/1511ogfjep_m04.png?auto=format&h=640&w=640" data-embed-caption="" ]}%

Haber

Getzler Henrich & Associates plans to expand its energy advisory practice, with an increased focus on the oil and gas upstream, midstream and downstream sectors, and service and supply companies. Most recently, Getzler Henrich added Jay D. Haber to its Houston office. Haber has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry as a senior energy consultant. As founder and president of Haber Resources Corp. (HRC), Haber managed drilling prospects for investment criteria suitable to the company and acted as liaison to participating industry groups. Previously, Haber formed Geokinetics Inc., a seismic provider. Prior to founding HRC, Haber was vice president of investment banking and associate general counsel of investment firm duPont Glore Forgan Inc. Haber has a BS in Business Administration (Finance) from Boston University and a Juris Doctor degree from State University of New York at Buffalo.

GOODRICH HIRES LEARY AS INTERIM CFO

Goodrich Petroleum Corp. has hired Joseph T. Leary as its interim CFO. He has 28 years of energy finance and treasury experience and 10 years of banking experience. Leary has held various executive positions within the energy industry and was formerly CFO of KCS Energy Inc., Energy Partners Ltd., and Tarpon. In August, Jan Schott, Goodrich Petroleum's senior vice president and CFO, resigned to take a financial position with a private company.

SANCHEZ ENERGY NAMES NEW PRESIDENT

Sanchez Energy Corp. has appointed Eduardo Sanchez as president of Sanchez Energy effective October 1, 2015. Sanchez has over 15 years of experience in the exploration and production industry and has served as president and CEO of Sanchez Resources LLC, a privately held oil and gas exploration company since 2010. Prior to his work at Sanchez Resources, he worked at Commonwealth Associates Inc. focusing on private equity and debt placements in small and mid-cap businesses including those in the energy sector. Sanchez received a BBA from Babson College and his MBA from Columbia Business School.

ALLEN JOINS NAVIGATOR AS CFO AND SVP

Navigator Energy Services LLC, a full-service midstream solutions provider, has added Jeffrey Allen to its senior leadership team as CFO and senior vice president. Allen brings nearly 20 years of energy-related financial experience to the Navigator team. Prior to Navigator, he spent two years with JP Energy Partners, where he was a co-founder and the CFO. Additionally, Allen spent three years as a senior vice president and CFO for Lonestar Midstream Partners. Allen received a doctoral degree in finance and econometrics from Purdue University.

HORIZON OIL CHAIRMAN TO RETIRE

Horizon Oil Ltd.'s chairman, Fraser Ainsworth AM, plans to retire from the board, effective at the conclusion of the company's Annual General Meeting on Nov. 20. Ainsworth has served as chairman since April 2002. John Humphrey is expected to be named chairman following Ainsworth's retirement. Humphrey is then expected to retire following the 2016 Annual General Meeting or soon after.

ENERGY PLAYERS

In order to access this content, you must be logged-in and have an active subscription to the OGJ Premium Archive