Roxi Petroleum plc, the Kazakhstan based oil exploration and development company has appointed David Lawson Wilkes ACA, as Group Finance Director with effect from 1 October 2009.

David (aged 47), joins Roxi from Ernst & Young where he was a partner in the Almaty office and was most recently the partner responsible for the advisory services in Kazakhstan and global service partner for ENRC Plc. David has over 25 years commercial experience, including eight years as partner of Ernst & Young (Kazakhstan), a partner for two years of Ernst & Young (Lisbon) and a partner for one year of Ernst & Young (Moscow) where he acted for TNK-BP as client service partner.

He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ACA) since 1989 and holds a Bachelor’s Honours Degree (Business).

David took responsibility as Country Managing Partner for running the Ernst & Young Office in Kazakhstan in 1997 His responsibilities included developing the office, operations, people and market presence for Kazakhstan as well as to develop their oil & gas focus. He was instrumental in winning the Kazmunaigas (then Kazakhoil) account in early 1998 and worked as client service audit partner on this account until 2006.

He managed the integration of Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen in Kazakhstan, when they merged in 2002 across the CIS. During his term the Ernst & Young office grew from 25 professionals to a firm of over 400 professionals, including 14 partners, serving some of the leading enterprises in Kazakhstan, including KMG E&P, Kazakhmys and ENRC.

He has acted as audit partner for a number of smaller onshore exploration companies operating in Kazakhstan including Karakudukmunai, Kazakhoil Aktobe, Zhaikmunai and TenginzChevroil’s operation at Tengiz. He is also involved with some of the PSA consortium’s in Kazakhstan, such as OKIOC (now Kashagan operation or KCO) and Shell Temir operation.

He has been the Chairman of the Kazakhstan Foreign Investors Council for the past two and a half years, where he has been responsible for the co-ordination of the bi-annual plenary session between the 25 CEO’s of the largest foreign investors in Kazakhstan and the President of Kazakhstan, as well as acting as moderator for the foreign side discussion for the plenary session itself. He has also been on the board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan for the past 6 years.

David is also currently a director of Lawson LLP, a company established to own property in Kazakhstan.

Clive Carver, non-executive chairman said,“We are delighted that David is joining the Roxi management team. He joins the Company at an exciting stage of Roxi’s development and his financial skills, knowledge of the oil & gas industry and deep local connections will be invaluable as we look to maximise the opportunities available to us from our portfolio.”

Tags: Roxi Petroleum