Highlander Fraser Louden, 51, is back in a top role in the north-east oil and gas industry after joining well diagnostics firm EV as chief executive.
Mr Louden, who hails from Tain, recently moved back to Aberdeen after four years as managing director of ALS Oil and Gas in US oil capital Houston.
He last worked in the Granite City as chief executive of Read Well Services.
EV, which splits its headquarters between Aberdeen and Norwich, specialises in downhole cameras that can produce full-colour, high-definition video images of the inside of oil wells.
Its innovative video technology is also used on Formula One racetracks.
The firm had been without a CEO since Francis Neill quit last year to take the helm at Houston-based energy service company Ziebel.
EV founder and chief technical director Johnathan Thursby, said the new CEO’s “sound management experience and vision” were crucial assets in challenging times for the oil and gas industry.
Mr Thursby added: “Fraser has demonstrated an incredibly strong track record of transferring deep market insights into successful business.
“His combination of knowledge and experience will be invaluable in further strengthening EV’s successful international profile.”
EV, which employs about 100 people in territories including Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and south-east Asia, is backed by UK mid-market private equity house Dunedin.
Meanwhile, energy service firm Petrofac said yesterday it had appointed Dave Blackburn – formerly of Hess Corporation – as senior vice president, engineering and operations, based in Aberdeen.
Mr Blackburn, who will be responsible for engineering and operations services across Europe, has spent the past six years in engineering and project roles in the Gulf of Mexico and west Africa.
Before joining Hess, he enjoyed a 25-year career with Shell, working his way up from trainee technician to management roles.