Infrastructure operator px Group has appointed David Thompson as its new chief operating officer (COO) as it grows its asset management expertise.
Mr Thompson joins from Sembcorp, where he was UK operations director, and will succeed current operations boss Trevor High, who is moving into a part-time strategic role in the group after more than 30 years with the company.
Stockton-on-Tees headquartered px manages major assets including the St Fergus Gas Terminal and the Breagh gas fields, and is the owner-operator of Saltend Chemicals Park near Hull. The firm is backed by private equity house Ara Partners, whose subsidiary Aksiom Services Group (ASG) backed the management team in a 2021 buyout from former owner Bluewater.
ASG is a partnership between Dublin-headquartered venture capital business Aksiom Group and Houston-based private-equity firm Ara Partners.
Mr Thompson joins the company from energy developer Sembcorp, where as UK operations director he led teams running large-scale assets in highly regulated, high hazard environments such as petrochemical, energy and industrial parks.
At Sembcorp, he responsible for the operational turnaround and integration of the 800MW decentralised energy UK Power Reserve acquisition, has built and operated one of the UK’s largest battery storage portfolios, and has led extensive safety improvement programs and asset management transformation projects with a focus on decarbonisation technologies.
At px, he will be responsible for development of the company’s asset management teams and the safe operations of the sites it owns and those it runs on behalf of asset owners.
As part of his role, Mr Thompson will also join px Group’s executive committee.
© Supplied by px GroupThe company said his broad expertise across local and international projects – including hydrogen, energy from waste and energy storage – would help support both its clients’ and its own decarbonisation efforts.
CEO Geoff Holmes added: “David is an engineer by trade, has a detailed knowledge of UK energy and infrastructure, and his ambitions match ours. He is also local to our headquarters in Stockton, having spent the last fifteen years in and around the north east with Sembcorp at Wilton.
“He will be instrumental in driving our ambitions of growth internationally and domestically, whilst ensuring our sites and assets are operating safely and as efficiently as possible.”
Mr Thompson said: “I am delighted to have started with px Group, a company playing a crucial role in UK energy supply, security and decarbonisation, with an exciting ambition to grow.
“We are responsible for several of the UK’s most important energy assets, and that’s a huge challenge as we continue to focus on efficiency and decarbonisation, while keeping safety and our people at the heart of everything we do.”
Mr Holmes also paid “special thanks” to outgoing ops director Trevor High, who he said has been “a key driver” of the company’s growth since its inception.
“I am grateful to have had his support and guidance in the four and a half years I have been here.”
“I am delighted that Trevor has agreed to stay on in a part-time role, continuing to offer his expertise and know-how to our people.”
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