News

Press Release – February 2008

Xodus Launches Environmental Division in Australia with Strategic Appointment
Xodus Group has landed a major coup by attracting one of the industry’s leading environmentalists to head up its new environmental division in Australia.

The Perth office of the rapidly-growing oil and gas engineering consultancy has appointed Francis Baronie to establish Xodus’ environmental capabilities and grow a robust environmental business.

Prior to joining Xodus, Francis was HSEC manager with BHP Billiton Petroleum. Successful involvement in large projects for operators such as Woodside and BHP Billiton Petroleum has established Mr Baronie as a renowned player in the industry.

More recently he led environmental teams for the Enfield, Vincent, Stybarrow and Pyrenees FPSOS which are located offshore the Ningaloo Marine Park in North-Western Australia, one of the areas’ premier marine environments.

This appointment comes hot on the heels of the group reporting a 50% increase in environmental business in the UK, seven months after it was established following the acquisition of Orkney-based Aurora Environmental.

Francis Baronie believes that there is high demand for a high quality, value adding environmental service. He says: “The current economic conditions in Western Australia with a huge pipeline of large energy projects are very promising for us and I am looking forward to growing a robust environmental business here in Perth.

“I want to establish a division that complements the Xodus approach to business. In the first instance, we intend to focus on integrating environmental considerations into the earliest stages of projects, where we can add most value.”

With extensive experience of working on large oil and gas projects in Western Australia, Mr Baronie is ideally placed to demonstrate that if environmental capabilities are part of the conceptual and design stages then the project can genuinely reduce risks and be more effective.

“Key to delivering this, of course, is building the right team,” adds Mr Baronie. “Our recruitment efforts will target senior people in environmental engineering and impact assessment. While people skilled in these areas are in demand around the world, I am confident that Xodus’ dynamic character and culture will attract high quality people.”

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