[h=1]Directors[/h][h=2]Mr. Ernest S.Massawe (Non-Executive Chairman)[/h]Mr. Massawe is Certified Accountant (ACCA, UK) and holds a Bachelors of Commerce from the then University of East Africa – Nairobi. He is the founder as well as the former Chairman and Managing Partner of what is now the Ernst and Young Tanzania practice after having led the firm for the past 30 years until his retirement on 31st December 2010.
Mr. Massawe is widely respected within the professional and business community in Tanzania which is evidenced by his many high profile appointments in the Accountancy profession,Financial services, Mining and Capital Markets sectors. As a professional accountant and the country leader for Ernst & Young Tanzania, Mr. Massawe was extensively involved in providing financial consulting and business advisory services both in the public and private sectors in Tanzania. Mr. Massawe has played a leading role in the development of the Capital Market and the Accountancy profession in Tanzania; He was the founder and chairman of the Tanzania Association of Accountants/Board Member of the National Board of Accountants and Auditors and the first chairman of the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange and the Tanzania Chamber of Mines. He has also served on the Banking and Financial Sector Reform Committee, The Value Added Consultative Board, the USAID sponsored Tanzania Business Centre Advisory Board and the Ministry of Finance's Think Tank on Tax Reform and Fiscal Policy. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Massawe has interests in micro-finance, banking, insurance brokerage, real estate development, medium scale gemstone mining and stock brokerage. He is also a director in a number of leading companies in Tanzania.
[h=2]Dr. David Mestres Ridge (Chief Executive Officer and Director)[/h]Dr. Mestres Ridge worked first for Total Oil Marine (1998-2000) and then worked as an independent M&A and business development advisor to oil companies active in the North Sea and North Africa (2000-2006). From 2006-2008 he was a Vice-President at the Royal Bank of Canada, first in the Global Investment Banking Oil and Gas team and then in the Equity Research team. In 2008-2009 he briefly managed Petrodel Resources, a company active in Tanzania. In 2009-2010 he worked with Black Marlin Energy during its IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Dr. Mestres Ridge has a BSc in Applied Geology, an MSc in Mining Geology, a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an LLM in Law.
[h=2]Mr. Selemani Pongolani (Finance Director)[/h]Mr. Pongolani is a Fellow Chartered and Certified Accountant (FCCA, UK), he is also registered by National Board of Accountants and Auditors of Tanzania as Associate Certified Public Accountant (ACPA). He has Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA Finance and Banking) and Bsc in Electronics & Communication. He has vast work experience of over 10 years in finance, accounting, management, audit and taxation. He started his career with audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Tanzania where he worked for five years (2003 – 2008), before joining Celtel Tanzania Limited as Tax Manager (2008 – 2009). From 2009 to 2011 he was Finance Manager at Gapco Tanzania Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited dealing with importation, marketing and distribution of petroleum products. He then worked as Senior Finance Manager at PanAfrican Energy Tanzania limited, a subsidiary of Orca Exploration Group engaged in hydrocarbon exploration, development and supply of natural gas in Tanzania (2011-2013).
[h=2]Ms. Elizabeth Obiero (Non-Executive Director)[/h]Ms. Obiero is a qualified CPA with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi. She has more than 10 years' experience in various accounting sections and industries. From 2002 to 2006 she worked as accountant and Senior Accountant at Kenya Airways and its subsidiary, Kenya Airfreight Handling Limited. From 2006 to 2008 she was accountant at Woodside Kenya (Nairobi) and responsible for the accounting of the subsidiary; she then moved to Woodside's Head Office in Perth until 2011, where she has been involved in all aspects of oil and gas industry accounting. Ms. Obiero represent the interests of Swala Energy Limited on the board.
[h=2]Professor Simon Mbilinyi (Non-Executive Director)[/h]Professor Mbilinyi was Chief Economic Adviser to President Nyerere (1975-1983); Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (1982-1985); and Ambassador to the European Community, Belgium and Luxembourg (1985-1989) before becoming Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Finance (1989-1991). From 1991 to 1995 he was Managing Director of the National Development Corporation and, from 1995 to 1996 was Minister of Finance for President Mkapa. From 1995 he was Member of Parliament for Peramiho Constituency (1995-2005) and Chairman of the Tanzania Investment Centre (1998-2010); the Open University of Tanzania (2000-2010); the Tanzania Chamber of Mines (2003-2005); and the National Development Corporation (2002-2010). Professor Mbilinyi has a BA in Agricultural Economics (Ithaca University), an MA in Economics (Stanford University) and a PhD in Economics (University of Dar es Salaam).
[h=2]The Hon. Abdullah Mwinyi (Non-Executive Director)[/h]The Hon. Mwinyi worked firstly as State Attorney for the Ministry of Legal Affairs (1996-1997) before joining BP as Supply and Trade Coordinator (1999-2002), Project Manager (2002-2004) and Company Secretary (2004-2005). From 2005 to 2007 he was an Associate with Mkono and Company. From 2007 he has been a Member of Parliament and a Member of the East African Legislative Assembly, where he is the Chairperson of the Legal, Privileges and Rules Committee. In 2007 the Hon. Mwinyi established Asyla Attorneys, where he specialises in corporate, commercial, labour and employment law. The Hon. Mwinyi has an LLB in Law and an LLM in Commercial Law (both from the University of Cardiff).
[h=2]Mr. Neil Taylor (Non-Executive Director)[/h]Mr. Taylor is the former Exploration Manager of East African Exploration Limited ("EAX"), Black Marlin Energy's E&P subsidiary. A geologist by background, Mr. Taylor has over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas business with internationally renowned E&P companies including British Petroleum (1981-1992) and Woodside Energy (1992-2007). Through his time with those companies Mr. Taylor has been involved with or led exploration and production activities world-wide, including significant work with the giant gas fields of the northwest shelf of Australia and exploration in Europe, North Sea, South East Asia, Australia and the Middle East. Mr. Taylor joined EAX in 2008 with the remit of growing the company's asset base, and added six new licences to BMEL's portfolio during his tenure. Mr. Taylor represent the interests of Swala Energy Limited on the board.
