‘Rising Star’ recognition for Aberdeen energy recruitment advisor
ENERGY industry recruitment advisor Katie McGregor has been shortlisted for a new business award in recognition of her contribution to the recruitment energy sector and professional networks for early career individuals.
Katie (25), of McGregor Consultants, is a finalist in the Rising Star category of the Athena Awards, which recognises and celebrates women entrepreneurs and leaders who are making an impact in Aberdeen City and Shire.
Nominated by fellow businesswomen, Katie joined the family business, now part of the NRG Group, in 2021.
While McGregor Consultants is a company with a strong focus on Drilling and Wells Engineering requirements, Katie’s focus is on the organisation’s growth while moving into other energy disciplines, including renewable energy recruitment.
A graduate of the Istituto Marangoni in London, Katie volunteers for the Energy Institute Young Professionals Network Aberdeen, Highlands and Islands, contributing to events aimed at helping young professionals and emerging talent network with established energy professionals. She is passionate about the energy sector and providing market advice to individuals seeking their next career in energy.
The winners of the Athena Awards will be unveiled at a lunch in Aberdeen on Friday, 17 November.
NRG – Upland Resources Partnership for 2024 Malaysian Drilling Campaign.
NRG Well Management has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Upland Resources for the provision of Well Management Services for their upcoming Malaysian onshore campaign. Due to commence in Q4 2024, Upland Resources are now in the final stages of rig identification for Block SK334, onshore Sarawak. The planned drilling project will benefit from NRG’s experience and track record in well delivery whilst introducing NRG into the Malaysian market
Bolhassan Di, Upland Chairman and CEO of Upland Resources Limited commented “This is a significant step forward for the company; we are making tangible progress and laying strong foundations towards our intended drill campaign. We look forward to increased market engagement as we scale up operations on Block SK334 in Sarawak.”
Daniel Mackay, NRG Group Managing Director commented, “We’re delighted to partner with Upland Resources to provide Well Management Services, in a very exciting time for the organisation as they prepare for drilling operations in Block SK334”
cHeRries Awards 2023: Our finalists revealed
CHeRries 2023 finalists
The finalists are:
Culture Transformation Project of the Year, sponsored by Hunter Adams
Management Board & HR Teams, ASCO
HR Team, Neptune Energy
Appreciate Team, Worley
Employer of the Year, sponsored by Stork
Aker Solutions
McGregor Consultants
WM Donald
HR Leader of the Year, sponsored by Pinsent Masons
Katherine Webster – HR Manager Employee Engagement, Stork
Kathryn McLeod – Talent Acquisition Portfolio Manager, Worley
Rachel O’Donnell – HR Manager, WM Donald
HR Professional of the Year, sponsored by Brodies
Brogan McPherson – HR Advisor, Exceed
Kelly Paddon – HR Business Partner/EDI Ambassador, Bilfinger UK
Laura Hardie – Occupational Health & Wellbeing Advisor, Bilfinger UK
Manju Beena- HR Business Partner, Core Laboratories
Learning & Development of the Year, sponsored by RelyOn Nutec
Training & Competency Team, Bilfinger UK
Stork
HR & Operations Team, WM Donald
Local HeRo of the Year, sponsored by WM Donald
Kelly Paddon – HR Business Partner/EDI Ambassador, Bilfinger UK
Neve McPherson – HR Administrator, Peterson Energy Logistics
Ross Jolly – Lead Technical Recruiter/AYP Founder, Global E&C
Rising Star of the Year, sponsored by Bilfinger UK
Ellie Reidford – HCT Solutions HR Partner, Baker Hughes
Lee Bowen – HR Administrator, Carnoustie Golf Links
Natalie Angus – HR Coordinator, CRC Evans
Yvonne McHardy – HR Advisor, Aberdeenshire Council
Team of the Year, sponsored by CIPD
Recruitment Team, Bilfinger UK
HR Team, CRC Evans
UK Operations Resourcing Team, Wood
Wellbeing in the Workplace of the Year, sponsored by Lang & Co
HR Team, Absoft
HR Department, Carnoustie Golf Links
Occupational Health Team, Stork
HR & Communications, Subsea7
Island Innovator heads to South Africa for Gazania-1 work
The Island innovator rig is on route to South Africa and will begin operations on the Gazania-1 location by the end of September. NRG Well Management is looking forward to delivering on behalf of Eco Atlantic and the JV partners in what is a very exciting prospect in the Orange Basin.
Follow the link to read more at Energy Voice.
NRG Well Management Support Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas and the JV Partners on the upcoming Gazania-1 well, Block 2B, South Africa
Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. (AIM: ECO, TSX ‐ V: EOG), the oil and gas exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margin in Guyana, Namibia and South Africa, is pleased to announce that the Joint Venture partnership of Block 2B, offshore South Africa, has entered into a drilling contract for the Island Innovator semi-submersible rig with Island Drilling Company AS for the upcoming drilling of the Gazania-1 well.
The Block 2B JV partners are Africa Energy, with a 27.5% Working Interest (“WI”), a subsidiary of Panoro Energy ASA holds a 12.5% WI and Crown Energy AB indirectly holds the remaining 10%WI. Eco Atlantic will become Operator and hold a 50% WI, subject to near completion of its 100% acquisition of Azinam Group Limited.
The Gazania-1 well is located in the Orange Basin in South Africa. The Orange Basin straddles the offshore waters of Namibia and South Africa, where major discoveries on both the Graff-1 well, drilled by Shell, and the Venus-1 well, drilled by TotalEnergies, have recently been announced.
Colin Kinley Co-Founder and COO of Eco Atlantic commented:
“We are pleased to be making progress in our exploration and drilling plans for 2022. We are planning for mobilization of the rig in late August and to spud shortly after arrival, with the experienced Island Drilling team and the Innovator Semi. We have good support from our partners at Africa Energy, Crown and Panoro and from the engineering advisors at NRG Group. We look forward to a successful, safe and environmentally conscious drilling program in Gazania-1.”
Meet Jo McGregor of Mcgregor Consultants
What kind of services does your company provide?
McGregor Consultants is an established provider of recruitment services based in Aberdeen, Scotland, and serving the global upstream oil and gas industry. We bring an ultra-responsive, personalized approach to recruiting and placing highly qualified oil and gas professionals for contract and permanent positions throughout the worldwide oil and gas industry. In other words, we are a recruitment company specialized in placing consultants in the oil industry.
What did you do before McGregor Consultants?
I worked for a competitor for nearly ten years where I learnt everything. I worked in the consultancy side of the business and largely I worked in the business development on the well management side. When they sold I decided to see if I could do it on my own and create a recruitment company with my standards using the tools and knowledge I had acquired there.
How is your management style different to others?
We are very personal which I feel in a recruitment company is very important. I think technology has changed the way people work, in the sense that most recruitment companies send generic e-mail and automate everything. That is something we never do; we pick up the phone, we Skype or we e-mail personal e-mails to people. We treat people as individuals and not as numbers.
Regarding my employees, I try to empower them. We don’t have sales targets and we do not have KPI’s either (Key Performance Indicator). In my opinion, the best motivation for them is to be respected and in a great working environment. Everyone is important in my company. We work as a team.
How would you describe yourself as a person?
I think I am a positive person; I have a lot of energy. I am a multi-tasker as I have three children and have to juggle everything. I can be loud, can be mad at times and demanding but in the end, I like to have fun and enjoy what I do.
How would you describe yourself as a businesswoman?
I try to treat everyone with respect and expect that in return. It is important to think outside the box at times and always try to find solutions. If a problem comes along it is not a problem to me it is just another hurdle to jump over. When it comes to business there is no secret, you have to work hard. I just come to work every morning and do my job and I love it.
What do you enjoy most about working for yourself?
Working for yourself gives you flexibility. That is what I enjoy most, my freedom. It is nice not to have to answer to anybody and to be able to make decisions, although it can be tough at times. I do also feel self-pride. I have three children and I would like to be a good role model. I take pride in what I do and the example I give to my children is very rewarding.
Tell us about the Employer of the Year Award.
We recently won the Employer of the Year award, which was absolutely fantastic for every one of us in the company. It was a huge success, we were up against many companies and we were all extremely proud of the achievement. Winning this award speaks for itself as what we are as a company. (The employer of the year is a regional award in Scotland with thousands of companies competing for the honour.)
How do you see the future of your company?
There are certain areas in the world that we are not as active in as others; we would like to expand internationally. Not only for more business but also to create more opportunities for everybody in the company. We are currently looking at Australia and we would try to cover South East Asia. So the next step is for me to go there and see if it is a viable option or not.
What would be your advice to future entrepreneurs?
Advice would be to do what you are good at, stay focused and build your reputation because without your reputation you have no business. Make sure that you are spending enough time with your family, without them and their support you will not have all the strength and belief in you that you would need.
And never forget to have fun. I have always said that the minute we stop having fun then it is time to pack our things up and go home.
McGregor Consultants hits record turnover
Aberdeen well-engineering recruitment consultancy McGregor Consultants has posted a 30 per cent rise in annual turnover to a record £21.5 million.
The firm has increased its profits year-on-year since it first began operating in 2006, when it turned over £1.7m. Audited profit figures were not available but the company expects to report a result in line with turnover growth.
Finance director Angie McGregor said the latest figures paved the way for potential expansion of the company overseas.
“The past year has been exceptionally busy as the oil and gas market, both home and abroad, remains so buoyant,” she said.
“We are planning to focus on possible expansion into south-east Asia and Australia.
“We have also been incredibly successful in placing senior professionals in staff roles, including drilling managers and senior drilling engineers both domestically and internationally, so this is another area we will continue to develop.”
The firm was set up by former colleagues and friends Jo McGregor and Angie McGregor, who have developed a track record and contact book built up over more than 20 years working in the global oil and gas industry.
The company now employs a 12-strong team at its Bon-Accord Square offices, and has a portfolio of more than 50 clients in the UK and internationally.
Managing director Jo McGregor said: “This has been a very exciting year for McGregor Consultants and we are very much looking forward to what the next few months bring.”