The boss of Aberdeen-based energy service group Senergy is moving to the Middle East to help to boost its international growth.
The temporary relocation of founder and chief executive James McCallum to Abu Dhabi is part of a drive to double turnover in the next three years.
The company’s growth – both organic and through acquisitions – resulted in turnover hitting £70million in the past 12 months. Just 20% of this figure came from outwith the UK.
Senergy aims to achieve half of its turnover growth in the next three years from the Middle East.
It said Mr McCallum was basing himself in Abu Dhabi for the short term to spearhead the international drive, with a focus on acquisitions and mergers.
Together with Dave Sherrard, the Aberdeen-based director of international business, they will drive forward the development of Senergy’s operations in the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.
The company already operates in 15 locations worldwide in the areas of oil and gas services, survey and geo-engineering services and alternative energy.
It employs about 380 staff and more than 50 contractors.
Mr McCallum said: “During a period of continued global financial uncertainty, it is important that we use our time wisely to position Senergy to take advantage of strategic opportunities and be ready for the inevitable upturn in energy prices.
“We have only started to scratch the surface in terms of international growth, but we are very serious about meeting our global ambitions and basing myself in the Middle East, from where we will have access to major global opportunities as well as our existing global network, underlines this intent.
“Being ‘on the ground’ will allow me to develop the right knowledge and contacts to deliver a step-change in our internationalisation.
“The market in the Middle East is particularly attractive to us, given the requirement for our set of skills which delivers a fully integrated energy service, not only in oil and gas but increasingly in alternative energy. The UAE in particular has declared its ambition in alternative energy and we want to be the company it looks to for an innovative, knowledge-based, joined-up solution.
“Equally, the international expansion of national oil companies in the Middle East and Asia demonstrates they still have capital to work on both domestic and overseas projects, therefore we need to focus on developing these relationships.”
Mr McCallum believes having a board-level presence in the region will ensure Senergy is well placed to identify and potentially team up with new financial partners.
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