Dr Agu Kantsler will join the Suvo Strategic Minerals Ltd board as a non-executive director, bringing with him more than 45 years of experience in the international and Australian upstream oil and gas industry.
The appointment is effective immediately and his more than 20 years in senior leadership positions and 12 years serving on the boards of several listed and private companies, should prove invaluable to Suvo as it continues to focus on production at, and expansion of, its 100% owned Pittong hydrous kaolin operation 40 kilometres west of Ballarat in Victoria.
Suvo’s exploration focus is on near-term kaolin and high-purity silica assets with 100%-owned Gabbin (kaolin), Eneabba and Muchea (silica sands) projects in Western Australia.
“We are delighted to have Dr Kantsler join as a non-executive director. Dr Kantsler has a successful track record in the resources sector and brings to the company a strong blend of corporate and operational expertise,” managing director and chief executive officer Hugh Thomas said.
“Our ability to attract Dr Kantsler is a testament to the quality of our Pittong operation and wider portfolio of assets and he joins Suvo with a clear vision to capitalise on the work completed to date.
"With a strong corporate background, Dr Kantsler’s appointment is part of a wider strategy to refresh the board with the appropriate skillset to support the company’s next phase of operations and development of its portfolio of assets. We look forward to Dr Kantsler’s contributions.”
Dr Kantsler: A storied career
In a career spanning more than three decades, Dr Kantsler has carved out a name for himself in both oil and gas exploration as well as health and safety management. He dedicated 15 years to Shell (LON:RDSa) International Petroleum, spearheading multiple international exploration assignments.
Following his tenure at Shell, he joined Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WDS) Ltd as the executive vice president for exploration and new ventures. During his 13-year stint, Dr Kantsler led the discovery of monumental oil and gas fields such as Pluto and Calliance.
Transitioning roles within Woodside, Dr Kantsler assumed the mantle of executive vice president for health, safety and security. There, he guided a team responsible for the welfare and security of more than 16,000 construction workers in Southeast Asia and Australia, in addition to overseeing operations at nine major Woodside production facilities.
Currently, he serves as the managing director of Transform Exploration Pty Ltd and holds a non-executive director position at Central Petroleum Limited.
His past roles include being a director at Oil Search Ltd, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia, and chairman and director of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA).
Dr Kantsler has been recognised for his contributions to the industry, receiving APPEA's Reg Sprigg gold medal in 2005. A year later, he was elected to the Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.