The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Utec HQ leaves Houston for base in Granite City
Offshore: Specialist makes new appointments as part of strategic review
Offshore survey specialist Utec has shifted its global headquarters from Houston in the US to Aberdeen as part of a strategic review of operations.
The new corporate HQ is housed in offices of the parent, subsea services firm Acteon Group, in Bridge of Don.
Utec, which delivers a wide range of offshore and onshore survey services to the energy industry and employs 350 people worldwide, has also made a number of new appointments.
Long-term employees
“Remaining focused on providing our clients with a quality service”
Cory Goodyear, Mick Elmslie and Jonathan Watt are now directors for the company’s Americas and Europe & Africa business units.
Announcing the promotions, chief executive Stuart Cameron said: “Providing experienced employees with the opportunity to move into new positions has allowed us to add strength and depth to the organisation which will help drive Utec into new technological and geographical areas.
“Utec continues to be one of the largest global surveying businesses, with the addition of more than 30 people to our onshore and offshore organisation this year. Together with the new leadership team I look forward to building on Utec’s global presence, while remaining focused on providing our clients with a quality service.”
Mr Goodyear, who previously headed up the Europe and Africa business unit, is moving to Houston to take over the role of busi- ness unit director of the Americas.
He replaces Dave Ross, who has led the Houston office for the past decade and is now retiring from the business.
Mr Goodyear has worked for Utec for 10 years and is already familiar with operations in Houston, having previously held the role of general manager.
Meanwhile, Mr Elmslie and Mr Watt have been appointed to lead operations in Europe and Africa as joint business unit directors.
Mr Elmslie has been with Utec for seven years, working on projects, operations and later as business development lead in the company’s Australian office.
Earlier this year, he moved to Aberdeen and has spent the past six months as projects director for the Europe and Africa region.
Mr Watt joined Utec last December in the role of global commercial manager, having worked elsewhere in Acteon Group for the past two years.
Utec has operations in the UK and overseas locations including the US, Mexico, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Norway, Singapore and the Middle East.
Norwich-based Acteon announced its near£93million acquisition of the firm in September 2014.
Acteon’s portfolio of subsea businesses also includes Aquatic, Claxton, J2 Subsea, Seatronics and Team Energy Resources, all of which have links to the Aberdeen area.
Acteon is owned by US private equity giant KKR and has just two directors – Mr Higham and finance chief Kevin Ovenden – among its five-strong senior management team.
Its companies are involved at every stage in the life of an oil field.