Opito International, a leading provider of workforce to the oil and gas industry, has appointed former RAF aircrew Colin Griffiths as managing director, who will be based in Dubai.

Griffiths is replacing out-going managing director Ian Laing who is retiring after seven years in the role.

Joining Opito from Talisman Sinopec in Aberdeen, where he was operations superintendent responsible for day-to-day operations of two North Sea assets, Griffiths will lead Opito International’s drive for the adoption of common global safety training standards.

Griffiths spent eight years front line flying with the RAF where he was responsible for conducting electronic surveillance as a member of the Nimrod crew which carried out search and rescue and anti-terrorist missions. He entered the oil and gas industry in 1990 as an engineering contractor for Shell, moving into projects and operations before joining Talisman Sinopec in 2012.

“The success of the oil and gas industry is on achieving the right balance between optimising production and ensuring the safety of our people,” said Griffiths.

“Safety therefore features in everything we do. Wherever we are in the world, we need to set standards in training and competency before we send people offshore or into other hazardous environments. I am passionate about and totally motivated by getting the safety piece right which is why I am both privileged and excited to be taking up this international role with Opito – the standard-bearer for our industry.

“Ageing offshore assets and creeping complacency in oil and gas can have catastrophic repercussions. Too often people are focused on the task rather than on the safety which is what causes accidents. Opito aims to make sure that every oil and gas worker anywhere in the world is totally focused on safety with the right training and competence to carry out the task,” he added.

Group chief executive of Opito, David Doig, said: “Opito’s proven track record internationally is in safe hands with Colin.”

“His passion for the challenges ahead of us as we seek to embed the Opito standards framework in every oil and gas province around the world will ensure we continue to effectively engage with employers, government and regulators and deliver high-value long-term change in relation to safety,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service