Board of Advisors

Aida Araissi founded the Bilateral Chamber in 1997 as the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Araissi also serves several additional strategic roles and Board positions for organizations including: The U.S. Committee for the World Petroleum Congress; the City of Houston Mayor’s International Affairs and Development Council for the Middle East & North Africa (MIADC-MENA); the Houston Community College Export Academy; and the U.S. District Export Council. She has received numerous international business advocacy awards, including twice being honored with the U.S. Commercial Services Award for Excellence in Export Promotion. Ms. Araissi speaks English, Arabic and French along with other key regional dialects. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism with a minor in Political Science from the University of Houston.

David L. Phillips serves as Chairman of the Bilateral Chamber and chairs its Executive Board of Advisors comprised of Ambassadors, Ministers and Former US Cabinet Secretaries. He guides the facilitation of high-level business and government exchanges on behalf of its membership, and provides strategic guidance in order that the Chamber and its’ members can fully reap the benefits of the myriad of available economic opportunities. Mr. Phillips is also Founder and now Emeritus Managing Partner of Bilateral Initiatives LLP, an international consulting practice offering expert advisory services to C-level business leadership.

A lawyer by early training, he now serves as Emeritus Managing Partner of Phillips International Law Group PLLC.  He served as a trusted advisor to three Presidents and their administrations, the US Congress, as a former lead executive in the energy sector, and as a Special Envoy to multiple foreign countries. He has pro-bono advised foreign Ministries, Parliaments, Heads of State, Ambassadors and Consul Generals in the MENA region and around the World. Mr. Phillips is a past member of the International Bar Association, American Bar Association, Council on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council, World Energy Cities Partnership, American Gas Association, Independent Producer’s Association of America, Society of Gas Lighters, Society of Electric Contractors, and Gas Processors Association

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Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani is Saudi Aramco’s president of Downstream, where he has served since July 2023.

In addition to leading the Downstream organization, Mr. Al Qahtani serves as chairman of Aramco Trading Company, Motiva Enterprises, the King Salman Energy City Development Company, and Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Company (SATORP). He is Vice Chairman of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), and also a board member of the Saudi Arabian Mining
Company (Ma’aden), S-Oil, the Dhahran Techno Valley Holding Company as well as the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA).

In addition, he is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Bilateral U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce. Other boards on which he has served include the Saudi Council of Engineers, the Arabian Geophysical & Surveying Company Ltd., the Pengerang Refining Company Sdn Bhd and Pengerang Petrochemical Sdn Bhd (collectively known as PRefChem) and the International Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Over the course of his career at Saudi Aramco, Mr. Al Qahtani has demonstrated versatile leadership in roles spanning the corporate, upstream, and downstream sectors. In 2007, he was president and CEO of the Aramco Services Company in Houston, Texas. In 2008, he was appointed Saudi Aramco’s Chief Petroleum Engineer. In 2009, he assumed the position of executive director and then vice president of Petroleum Engineering & Development, followed by roles as vice president of Saudi Aramco Corporate Affairs and vice president of Corporate Planning. In 2016, Mohammed became a member of corporate management and was named senior vice president of Upstream. Following that, he held the role of executive vice president of Downstream from 2020 to June 2023.

Mohammed earned a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering from King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals in 1988, followed by a master’s degree and doctorate in the same field from the University of Southern California in 1992 and 1996, respectively. He has taken part in several leadership and management training programs, including the IMD Leadership Program in Lausanne, Switzerland; the Saudi Aramco Management Development Seminar in Washington, D.C.; the Oil Economies Seminar in London; the Career Development and training program in Bahrain; and the Oxford Energy Seminar in London

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Mr. Ryan M. Lance has been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ConocoPhillips since May 2012. Mr. Lance served as Senior Vice President of Exploration & Production – International of ConocoPhillips and ConocoPhillips (U.K.) Limited since May 2009. Mr. Lance served as President of Exploration & Production, Asia Africa, Middle East and Russia/Caspian of ConocoPhillips and also served as its Senior Vice President of Technology since 2007. Mr. Lance serves on the Boards of both the American Petroleum Institute and the Independent Petroleum Association of America. He is an Advisory board Member of Montana Tech University in Butte, Montana, his alma mater.

Musabbeh Al Kaabi leads ADNOC’s Low Carbon Solutions & International Growth Directorate. He is responsible for driving ADNOC’s investments in new energies and low carbon solutions, as well as its international growth, technology, and sustainability strategies.

Al Kaabi currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mubadala Energy and Yahsat. He is also a board member of Masdar, Tabreed and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. In the past, he has served on the boards of several leading organizations including Dolphin Energy, Emirates Global Aluminium, Borealis, Cepsa, NOVA Chemicals and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Musabbeh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geophysical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines and a Master of Sciences degree in Geoscience from Imperial College, London.

Robert C. (Clay) Neff, Jr., is president of Chevron Middle East, Africa, South America Exploration and Production Company, based in Houston, Texas, a position he assumed July 1, 2020. He is responsible for Chevron’s oil and gas exploration and production activities in the region.

Previously, Neff was president, Chevron Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production Company (CALAEP), responsible for Chevron’s oil and gas exploration and production activities in Africa and Latin America and managing director of Chevron’s Nigeria/Mid-Africa business unit, where he oversaw the company’s oil and gas exploration and production activities in the area. While in Nigeria, Neff served as chairman of the Oil Producers Trade Section of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and was chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta.

From 2009 to 2014, Neff was part of Chevron’s Southern Africa strategic business unit, initially as Production Operations manager, where he oversaw the company’s shallow and deepwater operations, and later as Asset Development general manager, where he was responsible for exploration, development and new ventures activities in Angola, Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Prior positions include general manager of Operations for the Gulf of Mexico business unit; general manager of Asset Development for the San Joaquin Valley business unit; and manager of Chevron’s North American Midstream business.
Neff serves on the boards of the Houston Zoo, the Council of the Americas and the Corporate Council on Africa, among others. He is also a member of the University of Houston Energy Advisory Board and the Louisiana State University, College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council.

Neff joined Chevron in 1985 as a drilling engineer for the Gulf of Mexico business unit in Lafayette, Louisiana, after earning a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Louisiana State University.

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Tariq Abdel Hadi Al-Qahtani was born in Dammam in 1965. He acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Trade. Between 1987 and 1991, he held many positions in a number of companies in the Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Sons Group, including Manager of Abdel Hadi Al-Qahtani & Sons, Al-Qahtani Pipe Coating Terminal, and Al-Jazira Water Treatment Chemicals, as well as General Manager of Arabian Commercial Services Establishment. In 1992 until the present, Al-Qahtani has been the Chairman of Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Sons Group of Companies.

Dr. John Ardill was appointed as Vice President - Head of Global Exploration, ExxonMobil Corporation in March 2022. Prior to this assignment, Dr. Ardill was the Vice President of Global Frontier Exploration at ExxonMobil Upstream Business Development. He was born in the United Kingdom and is a United Kingdom and United States citizen, having lived and worked in the U.S., Europe, South America and the Middle East.

After receiving his B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Edinburgh in 1992 and Ph.D. Doctorate in Geology from the University of Liverpool in 1996, Dr. Ardill began his career with Exxon in London, England as a Geologist.  Over the last 20 years with ExxonMobil he has held various technical, supervisory, and managerial assignments in Exploration, Development, Production, Research, Ventures and Corporate.

In his current role, Dr. Ardill is responsible for global mergers and acquisitions for ExxonMobil, with a focus on discovered/undeveloped resources across all asset classes.  From his headquarters in Houston, he leads experienced teams of multi-disciplinary experts located in London, Dubai, and Singapore.

Dr. Ardill is a fellow of the Geological Society of London and an active member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and Society of Petroleum Engineers.  Additionally, he serves on several boards, including the AAPG Corporate Advisory Board in Houston, Texas.

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Mr. Al Mohannadi has been a board member of Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited since 1993, in addition to serving as the chairman of the board of several prominent Qatari companies. Mr. Al Mohannadi holds a Degree in Applied Engineering Science from Portland State University, USA. In January 2009, Mr. Al Mohannadi was appointed on the Board of Trustees of Qatar University. He also serves on the Advisory Council at the College of Business and Economics at Qatar University. H.E. Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi was named one of Middle East’s most influential decision makers in the regional upstream market for 2013.

Mr. Jeffrey Allen Miller, also known as Jeff, has been President and Chief Health, Safety & Environment Officer of Halliburton Company since August 1, 2014. Mr. Miller served as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Halliburton Company from September 20, 2012 to August 1, 2014. Mr. Miller is responsible for Halliburton’s global operations, as well as business development and marketing. He has held a number of positions at Halliburton, including as Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and Marketing, responsible for strategic account management, sales and marketing. Mr. Miller served as Senior Vice President of Halliburton’s Gulf of Mexico Region, Vice President of Halliburton’s Baroid business line, Country Vice President for Indonesia, and Country Vice President for Angola. Prior to his service at Halliburton, he began his career with Arthur Andersen LLP. He has been a Director of Atwood Oceanics, Inc. since March 19, 2013 and Halliburton Company since August 1, 2014. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture and business from McNeese State University, and has a Master of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M University.

H.E. Farouk Hussain Al Zanki, Chief Executive Officer (retired) of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) since October 2010 and also serves as the Deputy Chairman of The Board of Directors. In addition, he served as the KPC Managing Director for Refining from September 2007 to October 2010. Mr. Al Zanki’s former affiliations include the post of Chairman of Kuwait National Petroleum Company from September 2007 to October 2010, and Chairman of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) from September 2004 to August 2007. Mr. Al Zanki earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Petroleum Engineering from Oklahoma University in the USA.

Kenneth Dillon is Senior Vice President and President of International Oil and Gas Operations for Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, a subsidiary of Oxy.

In this role, Kenneth oversees the company’s operations in the Middle East, North Africa, South America and Gulf of Mexico, as well as major projects. These flagship assets produce approximately 395,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Oxy is one of the largest gas producers in the Middle East, one of the largest sour gas producers in the world and the largest acreage holder in the Gulf of Mexico. Kenneth also serves as Oxy’s representative on the boards of Dolphin Energy and ADNOC Sour Gas, and on the management committees for our operations in Oman.

During his more than 30 years with Oxy, Kenneth has held positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, business development and operations, including the integration of acquired assets and their workforces. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President, Operations and Major Projects, responsible for the support, oversight and coordination for the company’s current and future large-scale development projects around the world, including ADNOC Sour Gas. He also had oversight of the facilities engineering and construction functions of Oxy Worldwide Engineering. His prior roles include Senior Vice President and Vice President for Major Projects, President and General Manager of Oxy Permian, and President and General Manager of Oxy of Elk Hills in California.​

A native of Scotland, Kenneth holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Strathclyde University, Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Jim Breuer is the group president of Fluor’s Energy Solutions business, responsible for global operations and business development in the energy markets, including a special focus on the energy transition. These markets include energy production, fuels, refining, liquefied natural gas (LNG), chemicals and nuclear project services.

Before this role, Mr. Breuer served as president of the downstream business line within Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals business group. He was also Fluor's vice president and general manager for Mining and Metals in the South America region. He has more than 27 years of experience in the EPC industry in a variety of markets including downstream, upstream, petrochemicals, mining and power.

Mr. Breuer started his career in Fluor’s construction organization on mining and downstream projects. He subsequently took on progressive roles in project engineering, project management and operations in various locations and industry sectors. He has held project and operational roles in the United States, Europe and Latin America.

Mr. Breuer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Master of Science and Engineer degrees in construction engineering and management from Stanford University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Cornell University.

ND Maduemezia is vice president of Investor Relations, a position he assumed in July 2020. Prior to this position, he served in diverse field and management roles across multiple business lines and geographies, most recently as Geomarket manager for Sub-saharan Africa.

ND's career spans management responsibilities and exposure to multiple product lines from drilling, reservoir characterization to production and across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East; including assignments as vice president Europe and Africa for Drilling & Measurements; vice president Europe and Africa for Geoservices.

Maduemezia holds a Master of Science in Oil and Gas Management from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, UK and Bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from University of Lagos.

Prior to his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) in October 2021, Dr. Jawahery served as President of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) since 2011. In addition, Dr. Jawahery serves as a Director of the National Safety Council and Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA). He is a second-term member of the Parliament in the Kingdom of Bahrain, a board member of the National Oil & Gas Authority and founding member of the Bahrain Society for Transfer of Technology. Mr. Jawahery is a chartered chemical engineer with BSc and MSc degrees in chemical engineering from the United Kingdom and is a powerful advocate for the environment and a passionate supporter of initiatives focused on women empowerment and youth development.

On January 2012, H.E. Faisal Al-Mahroos retired from the post of Chief Executive Officer after 35 years with the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO). Mr. Al-Mahroos joined BAPCO as a petroleum engineer in 1976 and served as BAPCO’s Chief Executive Officer since 2009. Mr. Al-Mahroos played an instrumental role in promoting Bahrain Field operations in the 1980’s which resulted in improved exploration and production activities and which ultimately led to the establishment of the Tatweer Petroleum Company. Mr. Al-Mahroos’ invaluable contributions to Bahrain’s oil industry were recognized when he was awarded the Oil Industry Man of the Year Award in 2011.

Ambassador Wahba began her Foreign Service career as a mid-level officer and served as the deputy policy officer in the Near East office of the United States Information Agency from 1987 to 1988. Following, she served at the U.S. embassies in Cairo, Nicosia, and Amman. In 2001, Ambassador Wahba was confirmed as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the United Arab Emirates where she served until 2004. Additionally, she served as the international affairs advisor and deputy at the National War College of the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. from 2004 to 2006. From 2006 to 2008, Ambassador Wahba was assigned to the Pentagon as foreign policy advisor to the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. In 2008, after a 22-year career, Ambassador Wahba retired from the U.S. Department of State at the rank of minister. Ambassador Wahba is the senior advisor for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries at PineBridge Investments, a global asset management firm. She also heads DerMar International, LLC, a consulting firm that assists organizations with establishing a presence or expanding their operations in the Middle East region. Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba was appointed by the Board of Directors on December 10, 2014 to serve as the first President of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW), an independent, non-profit organization established in 2014. AGSIW is dedicated to increasing the understanding of the social, economic, and political diversity of the Gulf Arab states. Through expert research, analysis and public discussion, the institute seeks to encourage thoughtful debate and inform decision makers shaping U.S. policy regarding this critical geostrategic region. Prior to her appointment as President of AGSIW, Ambassador Wahba led DerMar International, LLC, a consulting firm focused on assisting American businesses seeking to establish or expand their presence in the Middle East. She served as the Senior Advisor for the GCC countries from 2008 to 2012 at PineBridge Investments, an asset management firm based in New York City. Other consulting assignments included Booz Allen Hamilton, US Department of State, the Department of Defense and Northrop Grumman. Ambassador Wahba retired from the U.S. Department of State in May 2008, class of Minister Counselor, after a twenty two-year career spent mostly in the Middle East. Ambassador Wahba was confirmed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Arab Emirates in October 2001. She received the White House Presidential Meritorious Service Award for her service in the UAE and was decorated by HH President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan with the UAE’s Order of Independence (First Class). Upon her return from the UAE, Ambassador Wahba served as the International Affairs Advisor at the National War College of the National Defense University. Prior to retiring, she was appointed as the State Department’s Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force at the Pentagon and served from 2006 to 2008. Ambassador Wahba graduated from Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in International Relations. She received a Diploma in National Security from the National War College, National Defense University, Washington, DC in June 2006. Ambassador Wahba is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Advisory Board of the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Houston and on the Advisory Board of the School of Policy and International Affairs at the University of Maine. She is married to Derek M. Farwagi and lives in Washington D.C.

Robert Jordan is Diplomat in Residence and Adjunct Professor of Political Science in the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies at Southern Methodist University. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2001-2003. He took charge of his mission in the wake of the attacks of September 11 at a critical time in U.S.-Saudi relations. He was a partner in the international law firm Baker Botts L.L.P. for many years and headed the firm’s Middle East practice based in Dubai. He is Vice Chair of the Tower Center Board of Directors and of the Board of Governors of the Middle East Institute. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a past president of the Dallas Bar Association and the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations. He is a member of the American Arbitration Association Commercial Panel of Arbitrators, the Panel of Distinguished Neutrals of the CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, and the London Court of International Arbitration. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Bilateral U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce and is a frequent commentator with international media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Bloomberg and the New York Times. His memoir, Desert Diplomat: Inside Saudi Arabia Following 9/11, was published by Potomac Books in 2015.

Ambassador (ret.) Susan L. Ziadeh has enjoyed a 23 year career with the U.S. Department of State where she most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (2014-2016). From May-October 2016, Amb. Ziadeh served as NEA Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. She is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, and served as the U.S. Ambassador to the State of Qatar from 2011-2014.

She served previously as the Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Riyadh, as the Official Spokesperson at U.S. Embassy Baghdad, and as the Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Bahrain. Her other overseas postings include Riyadh, Kuwait, Amman, and Jerusalem. In Washington, she was responsible for the Jordan desk, and served as Acting Deputy Director of the Office for Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

Susan L. Ziadeh earned a PhD in history from the University of Michigan, an M.A. from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and a B.A. from the University of Washington. She is a 2004 distinguished graduate of the National War College, National Defense University with an M.S. in National Security Strategy.

A recipient of the Department’s Superior Honor Award numerous times, she was awarded the Department of State’s 2007 Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy.   Ambassador Ziadeh was also awarded the Department of State’s 2014 Arnold L. Raphel Memorial Award for Leadership.  In 2015, the Secretary of Defense awarded her the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.  The Emir of the State of Qatar conferred on Ambassador Ziadeh the Emiri Sash of Merit in 2014 in recognition of her success as Ambassador in strengthening bilateral relations.

Deborah K. Jones has enjoyed a long career in diplomacy, serving as U.S. ambassador to Kuwait from 2008-11 and previously as principal officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey, as well as several posts throughout the Middle East and North Africa. She was appointed an ambassador to Libya in March 2013. She holds a BA in history from Brigham Young University and is a distinguished graduate of the National War College at National Defense University, with a master’s in national security strategy.

Ambassador Douglas A. Silliman is president of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He previously served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq from 2016-19 and U.S. ambassador to Kuwait from 2014-16. From 2013-14, he served as a senior advisor in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs in the U.S. Department of State, working on Iraq issues and the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. Silliman was deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq from 2012-13, minister counselor for political affairs in Baghdad from 2011-12, and deputy chief of mission in Ankara, Turkey from 2008-11. He joined the Department of State in 1984.

Silliman served as director and deputy director of the Department of State’s Office of Southern European Affairs, as political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Jordan, and as the regional officer for the Middle East in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism. He worked as a political officer in Islamabad, Pakistan, in the Office of Soviet Union Affairs, as the desk officer for Lebanon, and as a staff assistant to the assistant secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs. Silliman began his career as a visa officer in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and a political officer in Tunis, Tunisia.

In 2018, Silliman received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award from President Donald J. Trump. He has received numerous awards from the Department of State, including the Secretary’s Award for Public Outreach in 2007 and senior performance awards. Silliman received the Sinclaire Language Award in 1993 and the W. Averell Harriman Award for the outstanding junior officer in 1988 from the American Foreign Service Association. He retired from the Foreign Service in April 2019 after 35 years.

In addition to his position as president of AGSIW, Silliman also serves on the board of advisors of the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce, which helps American businesses expand their international business and trade ties, especially in the Middle East and Gulf region.

Ambassador Adam Ereli is Vice Chairman of the Washington, D.C. office of Mercury Public Affairs and co-leader of the Mercury International Affairs operation. Before joining Mercury, Ambassador Ereli served as a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State for 24 years and as Ambassador to Bahrain from 2007-2011. Throughout his distinguished tenure, he also held the position of Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs and Deputy Spokesman for the Department of State from 2003-2006, managing strategic communications, media relations, messaging and crisis communications for Secretaries Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. Ambassador Ereli has a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He speaks French and Arabic.

Mr. Martin Houston joined the BG Group in 1983 and was appointed BG Group Executive Vice President in 2000. In 2009, Mr. Houston was appointed Executive Director. He’s also served as Chief Operating Officer at BG Group from 2011. Mr. Houston is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London, and a Companion of the Institution of Gas Engineers. A petroleum geologist by training, Mr. Houston is responsible for overseeing the BG Group’s businesses in the Americas and Australia, in addition to the company’s global LNG activities.

Dr. Adel Chaouch previously headed Marathon Oil Company’s interests in the MENA region. He presided over Marathon Oil Kurdistan, a business that he has been overseeing since 2011, and in that capacity was ShaMaran’s partner in the Atrush block. He was the chairman of the consortium of private owners for the Waha operating company in Libya until early 2018. Dr. Chaouch was instrumental in establishing the mega gas hub in Equatorial Guinea and also directed the opportunity team that successfully re-entered Gabon through operated and non-operated interests in deep water exploration off the Gulf of Guinea. Dr. Chaouch was previously the director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Marathon’s worldwide activities and Sustainable Growth Manager for Marathon Central Africa Operations based in Equatorial Guinea.

Dr. Chaouch has a Ph.D. in Engineering, with a focus on Oil & Gas offshore geo-hazards, and gas hydrates from Texas A&M University and a Master of Engineering with a focus on deepwater structures from Texas A&M University, which he earned simultaneously with his Engineering degree at the E.S.T.P. in Paris, France. He is a board director of the Bilateral Chamber of Commerce, and director of the board of Ophir Energy.

Maurice Nessim, based in Houston, is the President of the Society of Exploration Geophysicist (SEG), the world’s most respected geoscience professional organization in our industry.

His current responsibilities include the development and implementation of the vision and strategies associated with applied geophysics science innovation and geophysicists development to improve and accelerate energy exploration and discovery.

Maurice has over 35 years of energy industry experience in various management and technical positions. He began his career with Schlumberger as a geophysicist and progressed to chief area geophysicist of the Middle East and Africa. Over the past 15 years, Maurice held several senior positions in Schlumberger, including area vice president for Middle East, Africa and Asia; area vice president for North and South America; and global vice president of operations. He was named vice president marketing and technology for the Schlumberger Reservoir Management Group, and was the first vice president of Schlumberger Geosolutions. In 2012, Maurice became the first president of Schlumberger Petro Technical Services. He was named the President of WesternGeco in 2015 and up to 2021.

Maurice has BS and MSc degrees in physics and geophysics and has won several prestigious awards, including the Schlumberger Chairman’s Award in 2006. He authored and co-authored over 25 papers that have been presented in various international conferences including EAGE, SEG, SPE and AAPG. He has been an SEG Active Member since 1991 and is a member of the EAGE, SPE and AAPG. In 2015, he served as SEG Director at Large and in 2017, was elected Chairman of the International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC) and was also elected to serve on the SEG Foundation board of directors.

Mr. Bush’s career has revolved around the oil and gas industry and the international business development arena for more than thirty years. In 1980, Mr. Bush joined Amoco Production Company in Denver and in the 1990’s became a part owner of Ultrafloat, a Houston-based company supplying conservation equipment to oil field storage facilities. For the past twenty years, Mr. Bush has participated in various international business development activities with strategic focus on China and the Middle East. In 2011, Mr. Bush founded ATX Oil, a privately held, independent oil and gas company. Additionally, Mr. Bush serves as the Chairman of the Points of Light Institute, a national organization formed by President George H. W. Bush in 1989. Mr. Bush graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics. He holds a Master’s of Business Administration degree from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business.

The Honorable Lynn N. Hughes has served as a United States District Judge since 1985, and as Civil District Court Judge in the State of Texas from 1979 to 1985. From 1972 to 2003, the Mr. Hughes served as Adjunct Professor at the South Texas College of Law. He is a member of many prominent organizations and legal associations, such as the Federal Bar Association (where he served as Houston Director from 1985 to 1989), American Law Institute, the Advisory Board at the Houston Journal of International Law, and the Council on Foreign Relations, among others The Honorable Lynn N. Hughes received his Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and his Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree from the University of Texas Law School.

First as a Marine Corps Major General and then as NASA Administrator, Charles F. Bolden Jr. has dedicated his life to the service of the United States, working to secure our nation’s security, prosperity, and guiding efforts to explore our universe and better understand our fragile planet.

In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Bolden to be the 12th NASA Administrator, making him only the second astronaut to hold that position. While heading NASA, Bolden oversaw the transition from the space shuttle system to a new era of exploration, fully focused on the International Space Station (ISS) and aeronautics technology development.

Bolden led the development of the Space Launch System and the Orion Crew Capsule. Bolden also oversaw the shift toward commercial space initiatives handling resupply of the ISS. He created NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, responsible for developing the technology that will make future exploration missions successful. Bolden’s tenure included the triumph of the Mars Curiosity Rover landing, the success of the Juno mission that is helping us understand the planet Jupiter more completely, increasing the number of satellites tasked with Earth observation tasks, and continuing progress toward the December 2021 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. Not forgetting that the first “A” in NASA stands for Aeronautics, Bolden also focused his attention on NASA’s aeronautics programs and the agency’s goal of developing airplanes that can travel faster, farther, quieter and greener than ever before.

During his career as a NASA astronaut, Bolden flew on four space shuttle missions, logging over 680 hours in space. He piloted Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986 (STS-61C) and Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990 (STS-31) – the mission that deployed the Hubble Space Telescope. He also served as Mission Commander on Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1992 (STS-45), and Space Shuttle Discovery in 1994 (STS-60). Bolden also served as Chief of NASA’s Safety Division at the Johnson Space Center in the wake of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Bolden also had a long and distinguished military career. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Bolden flew over 100 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He later served as a test pilot for the Naval Air Test Center’s Systems Engineering and Strike Aircraft Test Directorates. After completing his service as an astronaut in 1994, he served as the Assistant Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy, and in 1998 as the Commanding General of the Marine expeditionary force attached to Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. He last served as Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, prior to his retirement from the Marine Corps.

Bolden holds a Master of Science Degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. His past honors include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, three NASA Exceptional Service Medals and four NASA Space Flight Medals. He received the Rotary National Space Trophy in 2014, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy in 2020 and holds Honorary Doctorate degrees from numerous institutions of higher education. He was inducted into the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2006 and the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2016. He served as a U.S. Department of State Science Envoy for Space from 2018-2019.

Bolden is married to the former Alexis Walker of Columbia, SC. They have two children, A. Ché Bolden, Colonel, USMC (Ret.), Dr. Kelly Bolden, MD, and four grandchildren – granddaughters Mikaley, Kyra and Talia and grandson Walker Elias. He serves today as the Founder and CEO Emeritus of The Charles F. Bolden Group LLC, a veteran-owned small business specializing in space/aerospace exploration, national security, leadership, education (STEM+AD) and health initiatives.

Ms. Bailey’s governmental career includes presidential appointments by President George W. Bush as the Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs (2001-2004) of the U.S. Department of Energy, and an earlier appointment by President William J. Clinton to the office of Commissioner (1993-2000) on the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As the Assistant U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ms. Bailey served as Vice Chairman of the International Energy Agency and also chaired several bilateral international working groups among energy producing nations. In the private sector, Ms. Bailey has been involved as an entrepreneur and principal of BHMM Energy Services LLC, a certified minority-owned energy facilities management organization. She has also held the title of President of the Anderson Stratton International, LLC, a strategic consulting and government relations company in Washington, DC. Ms. Bailey’s executive experience includes president and board member of PSI Energy, Inc., Indiana’s largest electrical utility company. Ms. Bailey is a graduate of the Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management having obtained a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management and recently a Distinguished Alumni Award.

Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also the Co-director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics.  He is also University Professor at Baylor University, Fellow in Disease and Poverty at the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy,  Senior Fellow at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University, Faculty Fellow with the Hagler Institute for Advanced Studies at Texas A&M University, and Health Policy Scholar in the Baylor Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy.

Dr. Hotez is an internationally-recognized physician-scientist in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development.  As co-director of the Texas Children’s CVD, he leads a team and product development partnership for developing new vaccines for hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis,  Chagas disease, and SARS/MERS/SARS-2 coronavirus, diseases affecting hundreds of millions of children and adults worldwide, while championing access to vaccines globally and in the United States.

In December 2021, Dr. Hotez led efforts at the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development to develop a low-cost recombinant protein COVID vaccine for global health, resulting in emergency use authorization in India.

He obtained his undergraduate degree in molecular biophysics from Yale University in 1980 (phi beta kappa), followed by a Ph.D. degree in biochemistry from Rockefeller University in 1986, and an M.D. from Weil Cornell Medical College in 1987.

Throughout Cathy Easter’s 20 plus years with Houston Methodist, she has been responsible for numerous operational areas as well as corporate strategy and business development.  She has key responsibilities of establishing short and long-term global strategies for the organization, as well as leading international consulting and management projects.  She provides oversight for the delivery of international patient services and education as well as global brand and business development.  In addition to her global responsibilities, she is also currently leading strategic initiatives related to market share growth within the United States as well as regional business development and strategic partnerships. She has been instrumental in expanding the footprint of Houston Methodist Global through its consulting and management services as well as establishing offices in Dubai, and Riyadh, as well as a presence in Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa, and Guayaquil.  Prior to joining Houston Methodist Global, Cathy served as Vice President of Operations & Business Development for Houston Methodist Hospital. She led the development of its Outpatient Center, one of the largest in the United States, and spearheaded the development of a patient-centered concept, “The Methodist Experience”. Ms. Easter is passionate about health care access and played a fundamental role in establishing Houston Methodist’s Community Benefits Program and continues to coordinate Methodist’s charity care and community benefits programs today.  She developed an employee volunteer program to engage Methodist employees in the greater Houston community and build on the organization’s ICARE values. She continues Board of Director engagement in the local healthcare community and she is a frequent speaker for both global healthcare audiences and patient centered care.  In 2004, she was named an “Up and Comer” by Modern Healthcare Magazine.

Adrian Goodisman is a Partner at Energy Advisors Group, a leading advisory firm offering acquisition & divestiture services to the oil & gas industry. Additionally, he is a Partner at Bancroft Guyana Investment Group, a firm that invests directly in the growing economy of Guyana and introduces investors to participate in the economic development of the country.

He previously was a Managing Director at Moelis & Company, a leading global independent investment bank where he provided financial and strategic advice to upstream oil & gas companies.

Mr. Goodisman has over 30 years of investment banking and technical experience in the energy sector. Prior to Moelis, he was a Managing Director at Scotiabank where he worked in a variety of positions including Co-Head U.S. of Scotia Waterous – the firm’s oil and gas investment banking division. Prior to that, he was Managing Director and President at Waterous & Co USA, the predecessor to Scotia Waterous, where he was responsible for building out the firm’s U.S. practice. He has also held a variety of executive and technical roles at Ziff Energy Group and ConocoPhillips.

In addition to the Bilateral Chamber, Mr. Goodisman presently serves on the advisory board of Globalturk Captial, as well as the advisory board of Lifting Gas Ltd.

He previously served on the Capital Markets Committee of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), and also served in a variety of positions with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) including: Chairman, Canadian Section; Chairman, International Membership Committee; and Director, Gulf Coast (Houston) Section. He also served as an SPE distinguished lecturer.

Mr. Goodisman holds a B.S. (honors) in Mathematics from the University of Salford, Manchester and an M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas. Additionally, he is a registered representative in the U.S holding Series 24, 7 and 63 licenses.

Deborah serves as EY’s Americas Sector & Solutions Leader and the US Oil and Gas Leader. Deborah previously was the Houston Office Managing Partner, the EY Americas Oil & Gas Tax leader, and the Managing Partner of the Transaction Services group in the Southwest Region where she focused on Energy transactions. Deborah is a transaction tax partner with more than 30 years of experience serving both US and non-US based multinationals with in-depth expertise on structuring and financing corporate expansions and joint ventures.

Deborah has significant experience working with cross border transactions, reviewing tax and economic considerations in transactions involving complex Joint Ventures and corporate structuring projects, including initial review related to proof of concept, tax modeling, and structuring and execution of initial IPO, and a deep knowledge in tax and economic issues surrounding development of gas shale reserves in North America, Global LNG development projects and the impact of these development son the Power sector.

Deborah is a frequent speaker (and writer) on oil and gas industry issues, as well as on energy tax and transaction matters.  Deborah has been published and/or has appeared in Oil and Gas Investor, Oil & Gas Journal, Oil & Gas Financial Journal, Platts, Forbes, Bloomberg, New York Times, Houston Chronicle’s FuelFix, the Houston Business Journal, Oil & Gas Monitor, Petroleum Intelligence Weekly and others.

Deborah received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Baylor University. Deborah is a member of the AICPA and Texas Society of CPAs and is licensed in Texas.  Deborah is also on the Board of Directors for the United Way and Baker Ripely.

Mr. Suwaidi serves on the board of several federal and local government entities and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. H.E. Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi was named one of Middle East’s most influential decision makers in the regional upstream market for 2013.