Board
Thomas M. (Tom) Matthews, RigNet Chairman: Chief Executive Officer, Link Energy
Mr. Matthews has a long and distinguished career in upstream, midstream, and downstream energy, and in the electric and gas utility sector, having served as CEO of four Fortune 500 companies. Since 2002, Mr. Matthews has been serving as Managing Trustee of Link Energy Trust and Chairman and CEO of Link Energy. Prior to Link, he was Chairman and CEO of Avista Corp. and Washington Water Power Corp from 1998 through 2002. Beginning in 1996 and continuing through 1998, Mr. Matthews was President and COO of NGC Corp. (predecessor to Dynegy). Previously from 1989 to 1996, Mr. Matthews was Vice President of Texaco Inc. and President of Texaco Refining and Marketing, and President of Texaco Global Gas and Power. Prior to joining Texaco, Mr. Matthews spent eight years with Tenneco as President of Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. He also spent 16 years with Exxon in various global executive and managerial assignments in exploration, production and development. He received a BSCE from Texas A&M University and attended advanced management programs in International Business at Columbia University and in Finance at Stanford University. He has served on the Boards of Directors of a number of organizations, including five public companies.
Charles L. (Chip) Davis: SMH Private Equity Group
Mr. Davis is a partner in SMH Private Equity Group, an investment firm that funds companies that apply technology solutions in the energy sector. He has 13 years of experience investing in early-stage technology companies. He serves as a director or board observer for several companies including Syntex Management Systems, World Telemetry, Lombardi Software, RigNet and Wayport Inc. Mr. Davis graduated from Washington & Lee University and is a Certified Public Accountant in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Omar Kulbrandstad: Co-Founder
Mr. Kulbrandstad is a co-founder of RigNet, and served as COO from 2001 to 2004 and CEO from 2004 to 2007. He has also been on the board of directors since the Company's inception in 2001. Kulbrandstad has a combined 17 years of operational, technical and general management experience around the globe in the oil and gas and telecommunications industries. Prior to RigNet, he was with Schlumberger where he progressed from the field through various leadership positions, the last of which was a senior management role in Asia-Pacific overseeing three technical departments, a service facility, and 150 plus field crews. He has a BSc in Electrical Engineering, Electronics from Trondheim School of Technology in Norway.
Dirk McDermott: Managing Partner, Altira Group LLC
Dirk McDermott is the founder of Altira, a Denver-based venture capital firm with a focus on energy investing. McDermott has over 25 years as an investor, manager and scientist in the energy industry. His diverse experience in the upstream oil and gas sector ranges from operating as the chief geophysicist of LL&E Canada to serving as the lead institutional investor and director in companies such as Canyon Offshore. In addition to RigNet, McDermott currently serves on the boards of directors for Altira Portfolio Companies, Hyperion Power, MicroSeismic and Novinda. McDermott is a past director of Research Partnership for a Secure Energy America (RPSEA) and serves on the Petroleum Investment Committee at Stanford University. McDermott holds a Master of Science in geophysics and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.
Kevin Neveu: Chief Executive Officer, Precision Drilling Corporation
Mr. Neveu is the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Precision Drilling Corporation. He began his career as a Drilling Equipment Manufacturing Engineer for National Supply in Red Deer, Alberta, and progressed through a series of positions before relocating to London as Area Manager Europe, Africa and Middle East. In 1992, Mr. Neveu joined Dreco Energy Services to establish operations in Russia before returning to Edmonton as General Manager of the Dreco Rig Technology group. In 1999, Mr.Neveu moved to Houston as President of the Downhole Tools Businesses for National Oilwell (which had acquired Dreco). In 2002 he was appointed President of the Rig Solutions Group of National Oilwell Varco and held that position until joining Precision Drilling Corporation in August 2007.
Ørjan Svanevik: Partner, Cubera Private Equity
Mr. Svanevik represents Cubera Private Equity AS. Cubera is an independent and fully partner owned Nordic fund advisor dedicated to private equity. Prior to Cubera, Mr. Svanevik worked as head of M&A in Aker ASA, a listed Norwegian oil services company. Mr. Svanevik has also worked as COO in Kværner ASA, head of Business Development in Aker Solutions, strategy director in Arkwright and controller in Schlumberger. During his career he has been involved in several IPOs, mergers, acquisitions and trade sales as well as the operational integration and development of oil services companies in particular. Outside RigNet, Mr. Svanevik serves as a director in SPT Group, Bjorgvin AS, Norse Cutting & Abandonment and Oavik Capital. Mr. Svanevik holds a master's degree in General Economics from The Norwegian School of Management (BI) and an MBA from Thunderbird.
