The Board of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) has appointed a new Chair and Vice Chair following its Annual General Meeting in Perth in November 2017.
Zoe Yujnovich has been appointed as Chair while Michael Abbott has been appointed as Vice Chair.
Ms Yujnovich, Chairman of Shell Australia, has more than 25 years’ experience in the international resources industry. She has a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Western Australia and an MBA from the University of Utah.
Ms Yujnovich is the first woman elected as Chair of the APPEA Board.
Mr Abbott is the Senior Vice President, Corporate and Legal from Woodside Energy. He has over 25 years of legal experience, with ten years of senior leadership in the oil and gas industry.
Outgoing Chair, Bruce Lake, congratulated Ms Yujnovich and Mr Abbott. Mr Lake, Managing Director of Vermilion Oil and Gas Australia, served three years as APPEA Chair.
“The role has certainly been challenging, but it has also been rewarding,” Mr Lake said.
“I am pleased that I will remain a member of the APPEA Board. I have no doubt that Zoe and Michael will be successful in leading APPEA into the future.”
Ms Yujnovich said she was honoured that the Board had elected her as Chair.
“Growth in Australia’s oil and gas industry has been an important driver in the Australian economy for decades,” Ms Yujnovich said.
“It is an honour to represent an industry that makes a huge economic contribution across the nation. Oil and gas workers are dotted across the country from the Darling Downs to Gippsland, from the Cooper Basin to the Pilbara.
“But if we are to continue to employ hard-working Australians we must attract both domestic and foreign investment – and that means the industry has to be more cost-competitive in an environment in which the oil price will remain lower for longer.”
Ms Yujnovich paid credit to Mr Lake and outgoing Vice Chair Richard Owen, saying they had provided excellent leadership at a time when the industry faced headwinds from lower commodity prices.
Following the Annual General Meeting election, the Association’s Directors are as follows:
| Zoe Yujnovich (Chair) | Shell Australia Pty Ltd |
| Michael Abbott (Vice Chair) | Woodside Energy Ltd |
| Frank Calabria | Origin Energy Ltd |
| Brett Darley | Quadrant Energy |
| Ian Davies | Senex Energy |
| Ernie Delfos | Eni Australia Ltd |
| Peter Fairclough | Chevron Australia Pty Ltd |
| Claire Fitzpatrick | BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd |
| Seiya Ito | INPEX |
| Wendy King | ConocoPhillips Australia Pty Ltd |
| Bruce Lake | Vermilion Oil and Gas Australia Pty Ltd |
| Richard Owen | ExxonMobil Affiliates in Australia |
| Graham Salmond | BHP Billiton Petroleum |
| Eric Streitberg | Buru Energy Ltd |
| Petter Undem | Total E&P Australia |
| Brett Woods | Santos Limited |
