Tributes paid to safety ‘champion’

A Fife stalwart of the North Sea oil and gas industry who championed offshore safety around the world will be remembered for his “love of life, his quick laughter and his mean swing on the golf course”.

David Doig, pictured, died in hospital in Kirkcaldy on Saturday, after suffering a heart attack in Dubai on Hogmanay.

Colleagues and friends described the 57-yearold as a “wonderful man” and a “much-respected industry leader”.

Mr Doig – chief executive of oil and gas training organisation Opito – had been based in the United Arab Emirates overseeing the company’s growth into new markets and the establishment of its first overseas offices in Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Houston and Cyprus.

Mr Doig was born and raised in St Andrews and educated at Madras College.

He had an early background in engineering, working on major offshore projects in the North Sea for more than 25 years before moving onshore in 1994 to lead on maintenance support contracts as a business unit operations manager with KBR.

He joined Opito in 1999 as head of the audit team and worked steadily to broaden his knowledge and experience, including returning to education to complete an MBA with the Open University.

In 2005, he was appointed chief executive of Opito, then CEO following the creation of OPITO International in 2009.

He was a strong supporter of the oil and gas industry, a committed advocate of lifelong learning, and an ardent supporter of initiatives that provide opportunities for people to gain new skills.

Zoe Ogilvie, director of PR firm the Big Partnership, who worked with Mr Doig for more than a decade, said: “He was a genuine champion for the continual improvement of safety standards offshore, both in the UK and overseas.”

Mr Doig is survived by his wife Gillian, and a grown up daughter and son.