Taproom Talks

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny is joined by David Currie, Chairman of Proserv. David, a veteran of the energy sector with over 40 years of experience, shares his career journey—from attending 14 different schools as a Royal Navy child to spending 29 years at FMC and holding CEO roles at Aker and JDR before becoming Chairman of ProServ.  He discusses the biggest global chan...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny Dooley is joined by John Anderson of Exceed, a Kent Company, and we learn that even the best-laid career plans can go wonderfully off track. How do you go from a trainee drilling engineer, getting hands-on, roughneck-level experience in the challenging Southern North Sea, to suddenly realizing you’ve spent 15 years on the commercial side of the business? John...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny Dooley is joined by Jason Brown of Elementz. Did you know the energy sector is currently suffering from "fatigue" over failed digital transformation and AI projects? Jason, the CEO of Elementz—an industrial software company focused on subsea inspection and integrated solutions—sits down to share how he helped flip that narrative. Hear the story of a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny Dooley is joined by Colin Manson of Xergy/ Proteus (formerly Xodus) for round two, diving deep into the realities of scaling a tech business. Ever wondered what the biggest mistake a founder can make when building a brand new product? Colin gets candid, sharing that trying to sell 25 ideas at once was "utter madness" for a startup, and why keeping y...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny is joined by Sam Long of Decom Mission, the specialist trade association for decommissioning across the oil, gas, nuclear, and renewables sectors. Sam, the Chief Executive Officer, shares his unique career path from growing up in a farming family in south-west England and being the son of a Natural History Unit member, to becoming Wood Group’...

Send us Fan Mail Taproom Talks is taking an early 'Spring Break' but why not try out our newest addition to the Global Energy Network Podcast Family: 'AMPLFY - The Energy Supply Chain' This show is a spotlight for Members of our Global Network to share their products, services, journeys and culture you name it we want to hear about it! In this episode of AMPLIFY, host Dan Hylan...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny is joined by a returning guest as we dive into part 2 of Steve Rae's career journey.  If you missed part 1 Steve spoke about his experience before, during and after the 1988 Piper Alpha Disaster but this time we are focussing on Fortitude: Action beyond Compliance and his journey from the tools to VP and eventually CEO/Executive Director of Step Change i...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of taproom talks Kenny is joined by Mary McIntyre of Merrimac International, an executive search firm specialising in the global energy space, to discuss her extraordinary career journey. Mary shares how she navigated the challenging decision to buy out her company's Houston business during the tumultuous start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, driven by a commit...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny is joined by Martin Copeland of Serica Energy, the company's CFO, for a deep-dive conversation covering his 30-year career transition from a banking background in leveraged and M&A finance to his current role in the energy sector. The discussion focuses on Serica Energy's strategy for growth through M&A, including the merger with Tailwind an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny is Joined by Steve Rae of Fortitude - Action Beyond Compliance to discuss his oil and gas career and the life-altering experience of the Piper Alpha disaster. Steve recounts his journey from the Aberdeen oil boom to working offshore. The core of the episode is his minute-by-minute account of the July 6, 1988 disaster, including his narrow escape from falling...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny is joined by Neil Carr of AMS Global Group, where he discusses his journey of co-founding the company. Neil, the Managing Director, shares how AMS Global was initially shelved in 2012 before relaunching in 2016/2017 amidst a volatile oil and gas market looking for efficiency. He details the company's growth from two co-founders to approximately 50 staff...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny is joined by Bob Morgan of Baker Hughes, a Services and Projects Delivery Director in the Middle East, who discusses his two-decade career journey from a mechanical fitter in Aberdeen to a global leader. Bob shares his experiences working offshore in places like the North Sea, Angola, and Houston, emphasizing that success in the Middle East i...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny Dooley is joined by Zara Higgins of ATPI as she discusses her remarkable 22-year journey in commercial roles, beginning with cold-calling sales at a newspaper in Forfar at just 16. Zara shares her career progression, including a move into hospitality and her experience with the volatile energy and shipping sectors at ATPI. She delves into the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny Dooley is joined by Dave Acton of Motive Offshore Group to trace his journey from a fisherman in Macduff and an ROV pilot working offshore in West Africa to becoming CEO of a global energy company.  Dave discusses co-founding Motive with former TT guest James Gregg in 2010, the challenges of rapid growth and overcoming the 2014 industry downt...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny Dooley is joined by Kevin Coll of Solab IT Services and Onboard Tracker where they cover his entrepreneurial journey from working in his family's bakery to launching two successful Aberdeen-based companies. Kevin discusses the strong work ethic inherited from his father, the early financial and personal challenges of starting Solab in 1991, and the inspi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny is joined by Steve Swindell former CEO of Xodus where they discuss the truth behind building and scaling a 20-year energy consultancy. Steve reveals his unexpected career launch, from chemical engineering in apartheid South Africa to a "sliding door" moment that led him to Aberdeen. He pulls back the curtain on the hardest lessons, including the cas...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny is joined by Conrad Ritchie formally of Score Group and current chairman of multiple charities. Conrad dives into his nearly four-decade career in the oil and gas industry, starting as an apprentice the week of the Piper Alpha disaster and later serving as Managing Director. He shares the immense pride and financial investment behind Score Gr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks, Kenny is joined by Aberdeen legend George Yule, whose career spans from a British Rail apprenticeship and early North Sea oil days to the boardroom.  George shares the profound lessons learned as a young manager dealing with the devastating aftermath of the Chinook helicopter disaster. He recounts his entrepreneurial journey, from the challenges o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny is joined by Stuart Broadley of EIC to discuss his remarkable 35-year career journey, spanning from a young leader steering a challenging Rolls-Royce legacy business to transforming the Energy Industries Council (EIC) into a global force.  Stuart shares his experience running a factory at age 27, his time in the oil and gas sector with Wood G...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Kenny is joined by Chris Bird of Riskwell, who is also the Chief Development Officer for Meridian Resources and the disciplined head of risk for Fiteq. Chris details his unique journey from an engineering apprenticeship to a distinguished career in oil and gas, with a focus on risk management and innovation. He shares how a mindset of inquisitiveness and courage le...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny Dooley is joined by commercial diver and supervisor Chris Lemons to discuss his incredible journey in the deep-sea diving industry. Chris recounts his path from a "lost" young man to a saturation diver, detailing the challenging, high-pressure reality of the job, including the mental toll of living in a confined chamber for 28 days....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks Kenny Dooley is joined by Zoe Ogilvie of Big Partnership. Zoe, who recently semi-retired, shares her journey in marketing and communications, from her early days in Paris, to establishing the Aberdeen office of Big Partnership.  She discusses the challenges and triumphs of growing a successful agency, the importance of company culture, leadership t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks, Kenny is joined by Ian Ord of Fifth Ring, an Aberdeen-founded marketing communications business that has grown to serve clients globally. Ian shares his journey from aspiring accountant to advertising professional and the founding of Fifth Ring in 1993. He discusses the evolution of the agency from a generalist to a B2B specialist in the energy in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Taproom Talks, Kenny Dooley is joined by Phil Mote, CEO and co-founder of Well-safe Solutions.  Phil shares his incredible journey from an apprentice at Halliburton to leading a company that's revolutionising the decommissioning sector in the oil and gas industry. Discover the challenges of starting a business from scratch, navigating market downturns like...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of taproom talks Kenny is joined by Beena Sharma from CCU International. Beena shares her fascinating journey, from starting with a law degree to transitioning into the energy industry, and eventually co-founding CCU International. She discusses the challenges of commercialising carbon capture technology, the importance of carbon utilisation, and the misconceptions...