Tullow Oil appoints new Head of Operations in Uganda

Jimmy Mugerwa has been appointed to head Tullow Uganda operations. He becomes the first local manager to head the British listed company.

Mugerwa, according to a statement released yesterday, previously worked in Shell's East Africa business where he was most recently General Manager of Sales & Operations. He was also Shell's Kenya Country Chairman, a position he has held since October 2009.

The development is part of Uganda's ministry of energy and mineral development requirement that all management position occupied by expatriates be replaced with Ugandan nationals with required qualifications and experience.

And in case of those position owned by expatriates because there is no qualified Ugandans, the company is required to train suitable Ugandan to take over the position after three years.

"I am very pleased to welcome Jimmy Mugerwa to Tullow Oil at a time when Uganda and the partners within the Lake Albert Basin are about to embark on a major oil development which will see Uganda enter the league of oil producing nations, Martyn Morris, the Tullow regional business manager South and East Africa commented.

"I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Eoin Mekie for his commitment and leadership over the past year."

Prior Mugerwa held a number of managerial positions within Shell's business across Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and the Netherlands.

With the new appointment, he will be accountable for the delivery of Tullow's Uganda work programme and the forthcoming Lake Albert Basin Development Plan together with the Government and Tullow's partners, CNOOC and Total.

However from Eoin Mekie will remain General Manager of Tullow in Uganda until Mugerwa officially assumes his new position on 1 October 2012, following which there will be a hand over period.

Mekie has led Tullow's Ugandan based organisation through the recent farm down process with CNOOC and Total and has been instrumental in supporting the transition from a predominately exploration driven company to a new phase which will see the development and construction of one of the largest energy projects in East Africa.

Mugerwa brings almost 20 years of experience in managing large and diverse international teams within the energy sector.

Some of his notable achievements include leading the establishment of Shell in East Africa consolidating Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania into a unified sales and operations organisation in 2009.

He has also led large change management programmes which have resulted in increased profitability, market share growth and significant cost reductions.

Mugerwa has extensive experience in managing Government relationships with Ministries and regulatory authorities alike.

He holds a BSc in Agriculture from Makerere University and a MSc in Agricultural Chemicals from the University of Wales.

Mugerwa has also completed a number of Executive Leadership Programmes including the Executive Business Leadership Programme with IMD in Switzerland.

He is married with two children and also serves on the board of trustees for the Karura Forest Environmental Education Centre and Starehe Boys Centre.

BY IBRAHIM KASITA
The New Vision Newspaper
25 June 2012