Chris has had a 42-year upstream oil and gas industry career covering the spectrum of exploration, development and production, developing core strengths in exploration, petroleum economics, strategic planning, business development and ultimately business leadership and founding. He currently serves as Executive Chairman of Perth based Tap Oil Limited and as a Non-Executive Director of Lion Energy Limited. Tap has oil production, development and exploration offshore Thailand and Lion has oil production, oil and gas development and exploration onshore Seram Island in Indonesia.
A 1978 Geology graduate from Collingwood College, The University of Durham, England, Chris also holds a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia (SIA). After a 10-year early career as a petroleum geologist, primarily in Australia, he spent more than 30 years in South East Asia in various industry capacities including Managing Director of Fletcher Challenge in Brunei, a stint as Managing Director of Shell Deepwater Borneo, President of Santos – Indonesia and CEO of Jakarta-listed oil and gas company, Energi Mega Persada (EMP). Along with Mr Tom Soulsby, he co-founder Singapore based Risco Energy in July 2010, which was subsequently sold to Kufpec in 2013, after which Risco Energy Investments was founded.
Risco Energy investments current has controlling equity interests in two Australian Stock Exchange listed companies, Lion Energy Limited (AX:LIO) and Tap Oil Limited (ASX:TAP).
Chris was an active Director of the Indonesian Petroleum Association (IPA) between 2003 to 2008, including serving as President from 2004 to 2007.