As VP Technical Functions, Nicki is accountable for the performance management of BP’s global exploration portfolio, stewarding organisational capability, & driving digital transformation & lasting cultural change across the business. 

Having joined BP as a geophysicist in 2000, Nicki’s 20 year career has spanned a broad range of exploration, appraisal and development projects as far apart as Algeria, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Trinidad and the USA. Since 2010, Nicki has held Exploration Manager roles in the Middle East, West Africa and most recently Asia Pacific, before moving into her current role in early 2019.

Nicki holds a Masters in Exploration Geophysics from the University of Leeds.

Vice President Global Exploration | Wood Mackenzie 

Marc was appointed to the role of Executive Vice President Exploration in February 2017. In this role, Marc has global accountability for exploration operations and new business opportunities worldwide, as well as overseeing all technical aspects of exploration.

Marc’s career has spanned a variety of exploration roles since joining Shell in Australia as a geologist in 1986, bringing over thirty years of experience and leadership expertise to the Shell Group. This includes the position of Vice President Exploration - Asia and Australia from 2009 to 2014. From 2004 to 2009, Marc was the General Manager Exploration and Board member for Shell in Libya. 

He has also worked in technical and commercial roles in Angola, the UK North Sea and Egypt. From February 2015, prior to his current role; Marc held the position of Vice President Strategy and Portfolio, Upstream and Integrated Gas.

Howard Leach is Head of Exploration, BP and is accountable for leading the company’s access, exploration and resource appraisal activities.

Howard joined BP as a geologist in 1983 after graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in Earth Sciences.

Through the 1980’s and 1990’s he occupied a number of technical roles gaining experience in exploration and appraisal, field development and production in the UK North Sea, West of Shetlands, France and the Far East.

From 2000, Howard held a number of leadership roles as Exploration Manager in BP’s Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (Cairo) JV, Director of New Ventures in TNK-BP (Moscow), Exploration Manager for BP onshore and offshore Libya and Vice President, Geoscience before being appointed Vice President of Technical Function, Exploration in 2015.

Howard is a fellow of the Geological Society and a graduate from the Harvard business school, BP executive program.

Kevin held various management positions at ExxonMobil from 2000 till 2005 in the U.K. and Canada. He notably provided leadership and management for exploration teams to evaluate the undrilled frontier Orphan Basin offshore Newfoundland and to manage all of the East Coast of Canada exploration assets.

He joined Nexen Petroleum U.K. (now CNOOC International) in 2006 as Europe Exploration Manager, then Vice President, International Exploration and eventually Vice President, Global Exploration until 2013. As a Member of the Executive Management Committee, he contributed to corporate strategic priorities, decisions and exploration and production operations.

In 2013, Kevin became Executive Vice President, Global Exploration and Business Development at Murphy Oil. He was responsible for conventional and unconventional exploration, new ventures and business development activities from 2013 to 2014.

Having joined Total’s Exploration & Production segment in 2014, Kevin now manages the Exploration organization globally, with five exploration hub locations and 850 staff. He is also a member of the E&P executive team and Total’s Performance Committee.

He joined Repsol in Spain in 1990. Since then he has served in technical and managerial positions of increasing responsibility within the exploration organization, including assignments in Algeria, Indonesia, Spain, Venezuela, USA and Argentina.

Joseba was Repsol Exploration and BD Director for Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil(2004 to 2008), Exploration and BD Director in YPF (2008 to 2010) based in Buenos Aires, Regional Exploration Director Latin America & Caribbean (2010-2015) based in Houston.

Before assuming his current responsibilities, he was Exploration Global Portfolio Director based in Madrid. 

Joseba holds a BSc in Geology from the University of Bilbao (Spain), a MSc degree in Tectonics and Geophysics from the University of Barcelona and MBA from IESE and an ASM programme from IMB.