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Senior management

Our senior management team bring their extensive and varied experience of the energy industry and human resources to the Company and assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of the Group’s strategy.

Steve Bowyer

General Manager North Sea

Key strengths and experience

  • Senior operational leadership positions held onshore and offshore during 28-year career
  • 15 years in executive roles (MD, CEO and Chair)
  • Involved in over $5 billion of E&P transactions
  • Founded Decipher Energy, which was successfully sold within five years
  • Steve is a director on the board of Offshore Energies UK

Steve joined EnQuest PLC in October 2023. Prior to joining the Group, he was a technical adviser to global financial institutionsand investors. Steve commenced his career in subsea engineering/installation before moving to Talisman as a reservoir engineer, offshore team leader and asset manager. Steve then set up Taqa's UK operation before moving to First Oil as MD, acquiring an interest in the Kraken field prior to the successful appraisal well. Steve was the founding director of Decipher Energy, a full life cycle operating company, safely drilling and completing an 18,500 ft well, delivering Orlando first oil within two years of founding the company and overseeing its sale to Tailwind Energy in 2021.

Ali Talpur

Director of Global Corporate Services

Key strengths and experience

  • MBA in Finance
  • Extensive international experience

Ali joined EnQuest in July 2012 from Schlumberger wherehe held the role of Regional Procurement and Sourcing Manager for the North Sea.

He has over 22 years of procurement and shared services function experience for both E&P operators and oilfield service providers.

Ali has an MBA in Finance and has diverse experience of working in different industries in large, well-established organisations as well as medium sized start-ups in the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and the Caspain region.

Ali has also held leadership positions at various industry groups, including Chair of Oil and Gas UK's Supply Chain Forum, member of the Oil and Gas Authority's Supply Chain & Exports Board and currently Chair of World Economic Forum’s Resource Sharing Hub in the North Sea.

Jason Ewles

Technical Director

Key strengths and experience

  • Over 30 years of international upstream experience in technical and leadership roles across the full value chain of oil & gas exploration, development, and production operations
  • MSc in Petroleum Engineering from Imperial College, London

Jason joined EnQuest in November 2023 as Technical Director from Petrofac’s Integrated Energy Services division where over the previous decade he held various technical leadership roles in the UK, Mexico and Malaysia. Prior to that, Jason spent seven years with Hess, initially managing all subsurface activity associated with Hess’ UK and Russia portfolio, before transferring to the United States. Jason began his career with Chevron in the UKCS working on the Alba and Ninian fields before taking international roles to work a wide variety of subsurface developments.

Jason is based in Surrey and is a registered Chartered Engineer and a member of the Society for Petroleum Engineers ('SPE').

Paul Massie

Legal and Commercial Director

Key strengths and experience

  • Extensive legal and commercial expertise 
  • Wealth of experience in structuring and delivering business development projects and acquisitions
  • Joint venture management

Paul joined EnQuest in 2011 from law firm, Dundas & Wilson, where he worked in the energy and infrastructure team, advising a variety of public and private sector clients, utilities and lenders on complex major commercial projects. In his time at EnQuest, Paul has undertaken several key roles, including North Sea Legal Manager, Director of Corporate Development and New Energy and, most recently, playing an integral role in establishing the Group’s new energy subsidiary, Veri Energy. Paul has played a key role in a number of EnQuest’s business development projects and was instrumental in structuring the Group’s acquisition of the Magnus asset from bp. Paul has overall responsibility for the commercial and legal affairs of the Company. 

Paul is a member of the law society of Scotland and has an LLB (First Class) in Law (with options in Accountancy) degree from the University of Aberdeen.

Kate Christ

Company Secretary

Key strengths and experience

  • MSc in Corporate Governance 
  • Chartered Secretary 

Kate joined EnQuest PLC in 2016 and became Company Secretary in 2024. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute and over the past 17 years has worked in governance roles in a variety of industries. She started her career in the charitable sector, has worked within government departments and, prior to joining EnQuest, worked for FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 financial service companies.

Claire Scrimgeour

Human Resources Director

Key strengths and experience

  • MA in International Business and Languages
  • Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development

Claire began her career in the retail industry and, after progressing through various managerial positions, she joined Michael Page Recruitment in 2008 as a Managing Consultant, supporting the set-up of a newly created Aberdeen office focusing on oil and gas recruitment. Claire joined EnQuest as a Senior Recruitment Advisor in 2012 before becoming HR Business Partner in 2013. She has a track record of consistent performance, delivering results and effective leadership for the company.

Claire took on the role of Human Resources Director for North Sea in June 2024.