People 7
Renee Semiz will assume the position of managing director, UK marketing, Phillips 66 Limited in January 2021. Renee relocates to the UK from Phillips 66’s Houston office in the USA and takes over from Mary Wolf who, following a smooth transition period, will relocate to the Houston office and assume the role of general manager, global specialties.
Having joined the business in 1998, Renee has an extensive and diverse background across refining, process engineering, commercial commodities, optimisation and marketing. She has held various roles in Phillips 66, most recently as manager, brand U.S. marketing. In this role she was responsible for leading the rebranding of service stations, advertising and programs for Phillips 66’s large network in the United States. Renee has also spent time working internationally in China, India, Turkey, Lithuania and Germany in her early career.
Mary Wolf, currently managing director UK marketing at Phillips 66 Limited, comments:
“I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Renee to the UK marketing family. She brings a great deal of experience and enthusiasm to the team, and I’m sure she will lead the business to new heights. We have a great UK team and incredible, wonderful customers that it has been my privilege to serve. I would like to sincerely and deeply thank everyone for their business and friendship over the last five years. I will dearly miss you all.”
Renee Semiz, currently manager, brand U.S. marketing:
“I am looking forward to joining the UK business and building on the strong working relationships that Mary established with our customers. Mary and her team have done a fantastic job transforming the UK business and I’m looking forward to continuing our strategic initiatives. I wish Mary continued successes as she transitions into her new role in Houston.”
Holly Needham, granddaughter of Jim Callow, founder of Stourport-based Callow Oils, has decided to celebrate her 21st birthday by giving back to Parkinson’s UK, a charity which is very close to the heart of the family.
The board of Essar Oil UK Ltd has announced the appointment of Stein Ivar Bye, former boss of Sweden’s largest fuel firm, as chief executive officer.
Leaving behind his job as chief operating officer at Scandinavian crude oil giant Preem, Stein Ivar Bye will be based at Essar’s Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. He brings with him over 28 years’ experience in the Oil and Energy sector, working internationally across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Stein, who graduated from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and has an MBA in Business Strategy and Management from BI Norwegian Business School, previously spent 25 years with ExxonMobil and was latterly chief operating officer at Preem.
An experienced executive leader in multicultural and international environments, Stein has an impressive track record in refinery operations, coupled with broad experience in supply and trading, strategy and planning and business development.
Mr Bye is the second new CEO to take charge at Essar since the start of the year. In January, it was announced that ex-BP boss Mark Wilson had replaced Srinivasalu Thangapandian. Essar said on Monday that Mr Wilson left in June under a “mutual agreement” with the firm after less than six months in the role.
Speaking about the latest appointment, Prashant Ruia, non-executive chairman, Essar Oil UK, said;
“As an organisation, our sights are firmly set on transforming our UK business, ensuring its growth and long term sustainability as we transition towards a low carbon energy economy and deliver the energy solutions of the future for Britain. Stein will be pivotal in meeting this challenge and fulfilling this ambition.”
Stein Ivar Bye added;
“I am honoured to be selected as CEO for Essar Oil UK and excited to be part of Essar’s transformational journey. Society’s demand for efficient and sustainable energy solutions is an inspiring challenge and will require creativity and perseverance. With the collective competency and commitment of the Essar organisation, and strong stakeholder engagement, I am confident Essar Oil UK will be a part of the solution for the future.”
Kettlewell Fuels director Janet Kettlewell was inaugurated as the 33rd President of UKIFDA on the 24th June 2020, during the trade association’s first virtual AGM.
Taking over the Presidency from Jodie Allan, who held the post for 3 years, Janet will head the association’s management committee. Her new role will involve working closely with chief executive Guy Pulham to optimise the work of the association in lobbying government on energy policy and the delivery of services for both distributor and associate members.
A UKIFDA management committee member for some 5 years and regional representative for Yorkshire and the North East of England, Janet has seen the trade association transform itself into a modern, forward-thinking and highly ambitious organisation that is ready for the next stage of its development.
Janet brings a wealth of sector experience and knowledge to the role, having joined her Yorkshire based family business Kettlewell Fuels, in 1996. Janet recently undertook an MBO of the business with husband Trevor, taking ownership of Kettlewell Fuels outright from the Kettlewell family.
Commenting on her appointment Janet Kettlewell said; “I am absolutely delighted to have been given this opportunity to use my 24 years experience for the good of the industry.
“I aim to continue the sterling work of past presidents on raising standards in the industry and making further significant progress on how the industry meets the decarbonisation targets set by the governments of the UK and Ireland. As the market continues to develop and change, as we enter a new era of liquid fuels, we will embrace all the challenges that lie ahead for our sector with enthusiasm and passion and I am absolutely sure that UKIFDA and its members will continue to thrive.
“I cannot wait to start working with the fantastic team at UKIFDA and the exceptional management committee to see what the next two years bring.”
UKIFDA chief executive Guy Pulham adds; “We all warmly welcome Janet as our new President – and we know she will make an excellent and fitting successor to Jodie. The team at UKIFDA has worked closely with Janet in her roles as regional representative and Vice President but also directly with her company Kettlewell Fuels, who have been UKIFDA Members for 24 years. She will prove a fantastic asset and a great advocate of our campaign to secure the much-needed support from government to ensure biofuels play a key role in the future of the 1.5m heating oil consumers in the UK and 686,000 in Ireland who are not on the gas grids.”
Getting on top of the industry’s stories, Jane has travelled extensively across the UK and Ireland in search of interesting industry news and hot topics
After 21 years working on Fuel Oil News and having produced over 250 quality issues, Jane Raphael will be leaving her role as editor at Ashley & Dumville Publishing at the end of March where she has also been the editor of Oil Installer, another A&D publication, for 12 years.
Jane has been the face and heart of Fuel Oil News for half of the publication’s 42 years in existence and Nick Smith, managing director of A&D publishing commented:
“James Smith, the founder of Fuel Oil News, always expressed how lucky he felt to have Jane as editor. I too, have a huge amount of appreciation for the commitment she has given to A&D and the passion she has shown for telling the story of the fuel distribution business.”
Jane commented:
“It has been an interesting 21 years. Oil is a global product, one which touches everyday life for almost everyone on the planet, and there’s always a story to tell. It has been an absolute privilege to meet so many interesting people who work in this fascinating industry, to build relationships and to share their news with Fuel Oil News readers.”
Jane will continue in a consultancy role with us until early July and will also be attending the UKIFDA EXPO in Liverpool in June where, she says: “I will look forward very much to seeing many familiar industry faces.”
From April 1st communications should be directed to Margaret Major, publisher/managing editor. margaret@fueloilnews.co.uk and Stephanie Samuel, content editor stephanie@fueloilnews.co.uk
Myra McPartlin, who joined Certas Energy from DCC in 2016, has been appointed to the role of regional manager in the south east of England
Gulf Retail has appointed Myra McPartlin as regional manager, south East, replacing the long-serving Steve White who has retired. Myra, who was previously area business manager in Scotland, has worked more recently in the north West.
Myra joined Certas Energy in 2016 from parent company DCC where, as part of the company’s graduate programme, she undertook a variety of roles. She is a graduate of University College, Dublin and then went on to successfully complete a Masters’ degree in business and management at Trinity College in 2014.
“In a relatively short period of time Myra has proven her retail and managerial credentials and we are delighted to promote her,” explains Craig Nugent, head of dealer sales.
“She will add further drive and enthusiasm to a highly experienced team, all committed to support our dealers and grow the Gulf network.”
“It’s a fantastic challenge and I know I have a huge responsibility at this exciting time in the development of the Gulf brand,” enthuses Myra.
“There is a great camaraderie in Certas Energy, and I shall continue to play my part as we drive the brand forward. Since joining Gulf Retail, I’ve really enjoyed my life on the road, meeting dealers and building long term and mutually beneficial partnerships and I look forward to replicating this within the south East.”
The Scully Signal Company has appointed Katrina Scully Ohl as president and CEO. The granddaughter of the founder, Francis P. Scully, and daughter of Robert Scully, Katrina has a wealth of experience in the industry, having held numerous positions within the company, most recently interim president and executive vice president.
After 30 years in business, UK RTI is proud to still offer the first-class service for which it is well-recognised. Still family-run the business, which started life as Williams Tankers, was founded in 1989 by Bruce Williams.
The appointments of Gary Oliver and Roger Parr highlight Suttons Tankers’ UK strategy to continually improve the customer experience
Suttons Tankers has strengthened its team with two new appointments at board level. Gary Oliver joins as operations director west, replacing Roger Parr who has now been appointed as the company’s new commercial director.
Roger’s appointment recognises his successful leadership in a series of continuous improvement projects for leading customers of Suttons Tankers.
Gary joins the company from DX Network Services where he has worked as a regional director and operations director since 2010.
Working with Steve Hassall, operations director east, Gary will be responsible for leading the business strategy, objectives and performance at Suttons’ Widnes, Eastham and Willenhall depots.
Gary brings significant experience from the freight and deliveries sector to his new role with Suttons, having also held senior management roles with Target Express and City Link.
“I’m pleased to welcome Gary to the business and look forward to benefiting from his vast experience in senior roles, enhancing customer relations,” said Michael Cundy, managing director of Suttons Tankers.
“And congratulations to Roger who is making a natural progression having been an integral part of our commercial leadership team since joining in 2015.
“These two appointments highlight our UK strategy to continually improve the customer experience and add value at all points in the delivery chain.
“We look forward to reaping the rewards of this fresh structure and approach within our tanker division.”
Suttons Tankers operates in the UK with a fleet of more than 500 vehicles focused on the chemicals, gas and fuel sectors. suttonsgroup.com
Guy Pulham, who has succeeded Mark Askew as CEO of the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers, is seeking ‘greater engagement of members, Government and other trade associations’
Earlier this month Guy Pulham started his new role as chief executive officer (CEO) of The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS).
‘With a sound and stable team of people, who work well together’, Martin and Eoin are ‘looking forward to further developing the business over the coming years’
Martin Cook, UK marketing manager and finance director, Eoin Dilworth are now jointly managing Mabanaft’s UK operation. The move follows Raphael Hüttmann’s promotion to joint head, along with Volker Ebeling, of the Mabanaft Group in Hamburg.
With Raphael having been Mabanaft Limited’s acting managing director for the past five years, now is a good time for these changes to take place.
With three strong years of trading, and a consistently solid P&L, Raphael has achieved his stated goal of refocusing Mabanaft Limited and achieving increased profitability through improved efficiencies in the supply chain.
Martin and Eoin have worked closely with Raphael throughout. More recently, during a transitional period, they have also been fulfilling management responsibilities, so the whole process will be seamless.
Martin has been with Mabanaft for nine years, four of these as marketing manager. He has an in-depth understanding of the fuel industry, a clear and focused approach to business and excellent management skills, and is looking forward to the opportunities that this new role brings. Mabanaft’s sales, supply and operations teams will report to Martin.
Eoin, a highly qualified accountant with twenty years’ experience, has worked as finance director for Mabanaft Limited for five years. He has been involved in all aspects of the business and played a significant role in helping increase profits and reduce costs as well as business exposure. The finance, risk and IT support teams report to Eoin.
“Replacing my role has been remarkably straightforward,” said Raphael.
“Mabanaft always looks to retain skill and re-deploy staff within the group, so appointing Martin and Eoin as joint managing directors made perfect sense.
“Looking ahead, as joint head of the Mabanaft Group I will be available to provide support to the UK operation whenever required.”
“Eoin and I are both delighted and excited to be taking over joint management of Mabanaft Limited, said Martin
“We have a sound and stable team of people, who work well together, and are looking forward to further developing the business over the coming years.”www.mabalive.co.uk/news
Currently with Phillips 66, Guy Pulham will take over as FPS CEO in February 2018
With effect from 5thFebruary, 2018 Guy Pulham will become the new chief executive officer of the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS). Following the completion of his employment with Phillips 66, Guy will succeed Mark Askew as CEO. Fifty-two year old Guy has almost 30 years’ experience within the upstream and downstream oil industry having gained a degree in economics at Surrey University in 1988. Guy brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the role having previously held several economic, analytical, strategy and sales jobs within Phillips 66 and more recently holding leadership positions encompassing the wholesale and retail sales business channels with additional responsibility in the management of five transport haulier contracts across the UK and the promotion of the JET brand. “The FPS has achieved considerable success and I’m delighted to be asked to use my skills and experience to help the fantastic team at Solihull continue to work very hard for its membership,” commented Guy whose appointment will continue the growth and values of the FPS. “I believe that the most effective representation comes from talking to the members and understanding their businesses and, as a result, knowing what initiatives or support the FPS can provide and what important issues to take to government in order to influence and respond to legislation. “We must also ensure that members are fully cognisant of all that is available to them as FPS members through regular messaging and conferences. The biggest challenge will be trying to find innovative and impactful ways to improve an already award-winning FPS EXPO!” “I am really excited by this appointment,” added FPS president Jodie Allan. “Guy brings to the FPS a results-driven and strategic background with a desire to effectively communicate both on behalf of and with the membership. “His knowledge of the UK fuels market (especially the distributor and reseller businesses in the UK), his transport background and his personal relationships within the industry will prove invaluable in the next phase of growth for the FPS. I look forward to working with him.” www.fpsonline.co.uk
BoilerJuice, which is backed by mid-market private equity firm Livingbridge, has announced the appointment of Lee Cowles as chief executive officer.
Lee, who was previously CEO at Nutmeg, the UK-based online discretionary wealth manager, said:
“It’s incredible to be joining BoilerJuice at a time when they’re on the cusp of unleashing their digital potential. This is a business with a strong track record within the digital space, and I look forward to driving this further.”
Jonathan Wiltshire who recently joined the Cobo team
Having been appointed as Cobo’s new sales manager for the UK and Ireland Jonathan Wiltshire got straight down to work on the Cobo stand at FPS EXPO 2017 in Liverpool.
Adler & Allan has appointed Ian Osborne as new group managing director to continue the group’s drive in growth following an extremely successful period of increased demand, business acquisitions and sales.
Martyn Lyons who will ‘continue to actively participate in the TSA and to reap the many benefits of membership’
At the end of 2016 Martyn Lyonsstepped down from the chairmanship of the UK Tank Storage Association (TSA)
On 1st January 2017 Andrew Amos, projects director for UM group, took over as president with Paul Denmead, director of UK terminal operations at World Fuel Services, becoming vice-president.
Martyn Lyons, who will remain on the TSA Executive Council, said:
“The past 11 years have seen considerable growth in the membership of the TSA with more than 20 full member companies actively participating in our association which can be proud of its abilities as the ‘go-to’ organisation. TSA has long held a reputation to punch above its weight and this was cemented by the considerable efforts and successes of our previous executive director, Hugh Bray.
“After a very enjoyable 11 years as TSA chairman, it’s time for me to hand over the reins to a new president, Andrew Amos who along with executive director Peter Davidson and vice president Paul Denmead are set for a year of growth.”www.tankstorage.org.uk
Angus Blundell is expected to play a key part in Certas Energy’s growth over the next five years. He will be integral to delivering significant growth on both existing and new business by adding a stronger sales focus to the Certas Energy offering
Coinciding with the appointment of Angus Blundell as marketing director earlier this month, Certas Energy has unveiled a redesigned, transactional version of its website.
The importance of women in energy event was co-chaired by US deputy secretary of energy, Dr Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall (l) and Louise Kingham OBE FEI, Energy Institute chief executive
Last week the Energy Institute and POWERful Women hosted a roundtable discussion on ‘The importance of women in energy’ to address the barriers facing women working in the global energy sector.
The Energy Institute’s president-elect Malcolm Brinded looks forward to the ‘exhilarating task’
Malcolm Brinded CBE FREng FEI has taken on the role of president-elect at the Energy Institute (EI).
Richard Baker – ‘a key appointment for MFG as it drives ahead with strengthening its retail offering’
Top 50 Indies forecourt operator, Motor Fuel Group (MFG) has appointed Richard Baker as its new retail director.
“It has always been a pleasure working in the bulk liquid storage industry,” says Richard Sammons who retired at the end of April
After more than 30 years of dedicated service, Richard Sammons stepped down from his role as executive chairman of Inter Terminals at the end of April.
Richard started with Simon Storage as finance director in April 1986 before progressing to chief executive from 2006 to 2014.
“I am delighted in the progress achieved within Inter Terminals,” commented Richard.
“From its beginnings as a UK terminal operator, Inter Terminals has become one of the largest terminal networks in Europe with subsidiaries in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Ireland.
“I wish Martyn Lyons, CEO and his executive team and workforce every success for the future.”www.InterTerminals.com
Jeremy Hawksley is to retire after a tenure of nine years as OFTEC’s director general
OFTEC director general Jeremy Hawksley has announced he will be retiring from the post this summer.
Since taking the helm in 2007, Jeremy has made a huge and valued contribution towards OFTEC’s progression and played an integral part in championing the industry at both national and international levels.
OFTEC chairman, Nick Hawkins, commented: “After nearly nine years as director general of OFTEC, Jeremy Hawksley has told the board that he wishes to retire this summer. We will all be sad to see Jeremy leave.”
The recruitment process to find a suitable successor for the role is currently underway.www.oftec.org
Leading the company’s bid for ISO 17025 accreditation were quality assurance manager, Phil Saunders and regulatory affairs manager, Caroline Walton
Following a thorough UKAS evaluation of its laboratory’s quality management system, Morris Lubricants has become the first lubricants blender in the UK to achieve ISO 17025.
“This is the single most important international standard for calibration and testing laboratories,” said Phil Saunders, quality assurance manager.
“This accreditation demonstrates to our customers the professional competency of our laboratory and potentially creates an opening to develop new business as an internationally recognised testing centre for lubricants.
“A globally recognised standard, ISO 17025 will also support the continued growth of our export business.”
Paul Brown will help RE:Group to grow its fuel oils business with a particular focus on heavy users of heating oil
A specialist with 30 years’ chemicals and fuel industry experience has joined RE:Group (UK) as it continues to develop its industrial fuel oils division.
Paul Brown is the Hull-based company’s new industrial fuel sales manager and joins after 10 years as a waste management broker and solvent sales representative.
RE:Group, which has extensive experience in waste oil management and hydrocarbon recovery, currently handles more than 50 million litres of marine and industrial oil each year and sells specialist fuels to sectors such as brewing, food production, aggregates and abattoirs.
Commercial director Phil Evans said: “Paul has a wealth of relevant experience and has worked with a wide range of industries across Yorkshire, Lancashire and around the UK for many years. He has been brought on board to help us with the growth of our fuel oils business for a range of industries that are heavy users of heating oil.”
Paul began his career working in the stores of a chemicals company in Castleford, where he still lives. He then moved into the recycling industry working for several blue chip companies.
Paul’s appointment follows the retirement of fuel sales manager Derek Crossley, who has been with the company since 2012 and has enjoyed a 48-year career, including six years in the Royal Navy and 30 years in the fuel industry.
Established in 1996, RE:Group has three sites in Hull, including its new head office, and a collection site in North Lincolnshire. The company has in-house UKAS-accredited laboratories and invests significantly in research and development.www.regroup.uk.com