Key Management Team
The talented professionals behind the delivery of every Kensel Smith project are a proven team of skilled, motivated and dedicated experts with a range of diverse skills across the entire upstream energy spectrum. With several decades of valuable and varied industry experience our team are committed to producing energy resources in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Professor James McCallum
James has over 35 years experience in well engineering, well construction management and business management including 14 years background in with both UK and international operators, and a further 14 years focused on and based in the Middle East.
Key positions held have included CEO and co-founder of Senergy, a global consultancy and energy services company, now part of Lloyd’s Register Group and Founder and President of GLOBAL Marine Integrated Services / ADTI, the North Sea’s leading turnkey wells / EPD project management company.
Peter Pavy
Peter has over 38 years extensive, worldwide experience in well engineering, well project management and business management, including 18 years with International operators.
Having lived and worked in Australia, Pakistan, Vietnam, UAE, UK and Malaysia he has extensive global experience with on and offshore well operations. He has been well project manager on a number of high-profile offshore and subsea development projects.
Ian Williamson
Ian has 35 years experience in well operations, project management, field development and business experience within the oil and gas sector.
He has a deep understanding of how the technical, contractual, procurement, commercial and performance elements required in any business can be integrated and aligned effectively to give a result that ensures business performance without compromise to safety or technical integrity. His experience spans Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Khashayar Salimi Rafiee
Khashayar is a visionary geopolitical energy and technology entrepreneur, and co-founder of Kensel Smith, with over 28 years of hands-on experience in upstream oil and gas development. His expertise spans onshore/offshore projects, integrating geopolitical strategy with innovative financing to deliver complex energy ventures. He bridges Eastern and Western models, leveraging China’s supply chain and capital with GCC-based engineering and regulatory systems. He has led multinational JV structuring, aligning operational execution with local content mandates and fiscal integrity. Founder of a Sino-GCC integrated drilling services company, he has delivered 55+ high-temperature wells using downhole motors, MWD/LWD-positive systems—localised under Western supervision and matching global performance. Track record includes a $200M EPCF/EPDF pilot—100% financed by Chinese GC through a production offtake contract used as collateral, with full syndication secured abroad.
