DeepOcean Group Holding AS, an integrated provider of subsea engineering and trenching services, appointed Bart H. Heijermans as their new CEO effective February 1, 2012. The announcement represents the next step in DeepOcean Group's development into a leading global subsea services organization following the completion of its recent financial restructuring and the formation of a new Board of Directors. DeepOcean Group is an international organization that employs more than 1,000 professionals and has a solid customer base of world-class integrated energy companies in the oil and gas markets. Heijermans is also a member of the board of DeepOcean Group.

Heijermans is an accomplished and versatile global executive from the offshore industry. He has more than 20 years of global experience in subsea construction, oil and gas and deepwater operations. Most recently Heijermans was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc., an international offshore energy company that provides development solutions and other key life of field services to the energy market. He has also held several senior positions with recognized energy companies such as Enterprise Products Partners L.P., El Paso Corporation and Royal Dutch Shell PLC.

'Bart has over 20 years of global industry experience from the Americas and Europe to Australasia and this will be invaluable to DeepOcean Group and our growth plans. He has been a non-executive board member since July and has acquired a good understanding of our divisions and how well they complement each other. In my time working with Bart, I have found him to be an exceptional team player and very balanced,' says Thomas Thune Andersen, the Chairman of the Board.

'Through my tenure on the board, I have gained an appreciation of DeepOcean Group's potential and my goal is to capitalize on the company's strengths in subsea engineering and realize the synergies between the divisions,' says Heijermans. 'Well-coordinated IMR (inspection, maintenance and repair) services along with subsea trenching and installation capabilities will together capture more business opportunities for the group than when run separately. In addition, the Company has a fairly homogenous customer base, including customers such as Statoil, BP and Petrobras. These are exciting times; investments in offshore oil and gas production and wind energy generation continue to increase in many regions of the world creating a huge demand for proven experience and expertise that DeepOcean Group possesses across all of its divisions,' states Heijermans.

Tags: DeepOcean ASA