Woodside has announced a new director, as well as new changes to the membership of its Board of Directors to help support its global operations and strategic growth opportunities through the energy transition.
The oil and gas production company has announced the appointment of Ashok Belani as a non-executive Director — effective 29 January 2024.
Belani currently serves on the boards of Malaysia-based Gentari Sdn. Bhd., US-based Enervenue, Inc. and India based AMGreen Group, and he is also a member of the Board of AStar — which is the agency for science and technology for the Singapore government.
Joining Woodside as an independent non-executive Director, Delani will also sit as the member of the Audit & Risk, the Sustainability and the Nominations & Governance Committees.
Belani will stand for election as a non-executive Director at the Annual General Meeting in April 2024.
Woodside Chair Richard Goyder stated that Ashok adds new energy, technology and innovation expertise to the Board.
“He brings a deep technological background to the Board’s oversight of energy transition and climate strategy, alongside an understanding of policy settings designed to drive decarbonisation in the energy sector.
“He has an accomplished record in leading decarbonisation technology at SLB (formerly Schlumberger) which will be of substantial benefit to Woodside in its strategy to thrive through the energy transition,” said Goyder.
Belani holds a Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Technologies in Electrical and Electronics from the Indian Institute of Technology, NewDelhi.
During his 43-year tenure at SLB, a global technology company, Belani held several roles including President Reservoir Characterisation, Executive Vice President Technology and most recently, Executive Vice President New Energy where he was responsible for deploying differentiated technologies and practices to decarbonise exploration and production operations, and the development of new avenues of growth in emerging markets with carbon-neutral technologies.
Belani remains a Strategic Advisor to SLB.
Two of Woodside’s long-serving directors, Frank Cooper, AO and Gene Tilbrook, are anticipated to retire from the Woodside Board at or before the Annual General Meeting in April 2024.
Arnaud Breuillac replaced Gene Tilbrook as Chair of Woodside’s Human Resources & Compensation Committee, effective 7 December 2023.
Tilbrook remains a member of the Human Resources & Compensation Committee.
Ben Wyatt joined as a member of Woodside’s Audit & Risk Committee and ceased as a member of the Sustainability Committee, effective 7 December 2023.
