A graduate of Mechanical / Production Engineering from the University of Jos, Nigeria with honors in 1986; stated his career in 1987 in the upstream sector of the Oil & Gas Industry and has worked with several Multinational Oil service companies. A specialist in Down-Hole Drilling Technology with over a quarter of decade experience in the upstream sector of the Oil and Gas Industry covering several areas such Business development , Finance , Corporate Policy & governance , Recruitment & Training and Government regulations.

A pioneer staff of Corpro Systems Ltd UK an Aberdeen specialist coring company (now ALS Corpro) and was involved in the re-engineering of the widely accepted Corpro Coring Technology. After 17years with Corpro, he set up his own company – Cortech Oil Services Ltd in technical partnership with Corpro Systems Ltd UK before the advent Local content development in Nigeria, building the company to be reputable indigenous service provider in the Oil and Gas Industry. He has expanded the company into the midstream sector of Domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas storage and distribution to diversify the company’s income stream.

Widely traveled in Africa, Europe and the United States with immense knowledge in the Exploration & Production sector of Oil & Gas industry in the Gulf of Guinea, Sub Saharan Africa and the North Sea. He has served in various boards and advisory roles in Strategic Economic and Development plans – 2007 to 2014 member Rivers State Economic Advisory Council, member Rivers State Power Development Committee (2010~2012) and appointed by the President of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) 2009 to 2011. A certified member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) married with lovely two daughters and a son.

Mr. Michael O. Makinde recently retired from Nalco Champion Energy Services a subsidiary of Ecolab Company a global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies as the Country Manager after almost three decades where he held various positions including Senior Account Manager, Technical Manager and was a pioneer member of Global Emulsion Breaker Formulators Peer Group that took him to different parts of the world including the Gulf of Mexico, Central California, West Texas, North Sea and various countries in the West Africa region including Angola, Ghana and Gabon formulating new chemistries for enhanced oil recovery.

He is the co-founder of Pamcrest Consulting Limited, Veltrack Nigeria Limited and on board of various companies both in oil, supply chain and pharmaceutical industries. Mr. Makinde graduated with a B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering from University of Ibadan in 1985 and has attended various technical and managerial courses all around the globe in the span of his career winning several awards. He is a member of various professional social and philanthropic bodies.

Mr. Kenneth Ahukannah is the Founder and Group Managing Director of the Hedgeworth Group of companies with headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. Member companies of the Group are active in Banking, Finance, Consultancy, Transportation, Commerce, and Real Estate. He attended Federal Government College, Jos and is a 1986 graduate of the University of Calabar, Nigeria from where he obtained a B.Sc. in Banking and Finance. He obtained his Masters in Business Administration from the same University. He holds the IFG Academy Diploma in Factoring and is a specialist in Corporate Credit Risk Management.

At various times, Mr. Ahukannah held senior management positions in Progress Bank, Citizens Bank Ltd and Continental Trust Bank Ltd, from where he exited the banking industry in 2004 to start the Hedgeworth Group of companies. Mr. Ahukannah is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, a certified professional in Sub-National Debt Management with competence in Public Debt Data Verification and Capacity Building in Public Finance Management, a Consultant on Vocational Skills Training. He has attended numerous management development courses, programs, seminars and workshops locally and internationally. He is on the Board of several companies in Nigeria and abroad. Mr. Ahukannah is married with children

Bob first entered Nigeria in 1986. Over the ensuing years he has advised numerous Nigerian companies through expansion along with various Government Institutions. As a Board Advisor with over 30 years’ international experience spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, India, Russia, USA and the MENA region he has garnered vast experience from start-up’s and SME’s through to FTSE 100 and has successfully created, led, built and advised companies across the Tech, Internet and Oil & Gas sectors encompassing both multi-disciplined and multi ethnic operations.

In conjunction with his duties as a fully titled African Chief he also continues to advise various companies worldwide with an emphasis on Business, Strategy and Operations.