Management Team

SunTrust Oil is run by a diverse and highly qualified team of professionals who bring a wealth of experience to achieve our desire of becoming a foremost oil and gas exploration and production company in Africa and beyond.

Ugo Okafor

PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ugo is an astute professional and business executive with experience spanning over 20 years in management, business strategy and the oil and gas industry.

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Rachel Akhuetie (FCA)

Executive Director - Finance, Commercial and Services

Rachel is a highly driven multi-skilled professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in Accounting & Finance, Oil & Gas Commercial, Human Resource Management and Organizational Strategy.

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Hilary Okonye

Executive Director - CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Hilary is a Director at SunTrust Oil. He graduated from the University of Benin, Benin City, where he obtained a B.Eng. in Production Engineering with a second class honours (Upper division). With 13 years of experience in drilling, workover operation and other industry related jobs.

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Yewande Ajilore

HEAD, LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE

Yewande is a skilled legal practitioner with expertise in Business Advisory, Corporate & amp; Commercial and Energy & Project Finance Law with over 12 years of hands-on experience.

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Ekeno Ndebbio

FINANCE AND JV ACCOUNTS MANAGER

Ekeno is a graduate of accounting from the University of Calabar, a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

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Okenwa Kalu Emekwo

HEAD, OPERATIONS AND HSE

Okenwa is SunTrust Oil’s Operations Manager and has over 14 year’s working experience in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, most of them in Geosciences, Production operation, Project management, Crude Oil Export and other Oil industry-related services.

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UGO OKAFOR

PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ugo is an astute professional and business executive with experience spanning over 20 years in management, business strategy and the oil and gas industry.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Barrister at Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School. Ugo attended the Vanderbilt University School of Law, USA where he obtained a Juris Doctorate (JD) and was on the Dean’s list of the University. He also obtained a Certificate in Financial Modelling and Petroleum Project Economics at the International Human Resources Development Corporation, Boston, USA.

As Chief Executive Officer at SunTrust Oil, Ugo plays an active role in the development and operations of the Umusadege field in which SunTrust Oil holds 30% interest. His engagement with the joint venture (JV) operator includes the provision of strategic advice through the operations and management committees of the JV and direct involvement in the entire production value chain of the Umusadege field.

Under Ugo’s leadership, SunTrust Oil signed a production sharing contract with the Government of the Republic of Niger covering the award of the Tounfalis block to SunTrust Oil. The PSC covers the research, exploitation and pipeline transportation of crude oil and natural gas in the Republic of Niger. Under this project, SunTrust Oil has commenced plans for the acquisition, interpretation and processing of additional seismic data as part of the minimum work programme requirement. This will be followed by the planned first exploration which will take place in due course.

Ugo has previously worked with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Foundation Trust Lagos. Prior to assuming the presidency of SunTrust Oil, Ugo was country Director of GWI Ventures Nigeria Limited. Ugo is also a graduate of Harvard Business School.

RACHEL AKHUETIE (FCA)

Executive Director, Finance, Commercial and Services

Rachel is a highly driven multi-skilled professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in Accounting & Finance, Oil & Gas Commercial, Human Resource Management and Organizational Strategy. She has had her working career with UBA Capital & Trust; an Asset Management Company, Century Media Ltd and GoodWorks International LLC before joining SunTrust Oil Company Nigeria Limited where she currently serves as the General Manager, Finance & Business Development.

Rachel has worked in the oil & gas industry for over 17 years, functioning in various capacities and roles ranging from an Accounts Associate, Finance Manager, Head of Finance & Service, through several positions to a General Manager Finance & Business Strategy. In addition to her commercial, financial, business development & risk management role, she plays a major role in the organizational management and works directly with the Chief Executive Officer to provide strategic direction for SunTrust Oil.

Rachel is a graduate of Accounting with an MBA in International Business Management. She is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). Rachel graduated from Harvard Business School, Boston USA (HBS), having completed the HBS Advance Management Program. She is also an Alumnus of Stanford Graduate School of Business, California USA, where she obtained a certificate on Executive Program for Growing Companies. She is a Certified International Financial Reporting Standards Specialist (CIFRSS) and a Certified Risk & Compliance Management Professional (CRCMP) obtained from IARCP, USA. She is also an Alumnus of the International Human Resources Development Corporation (IHRDC), Boston, USA where she obtained a certificate in Financial Modeling and Petroleum Project Economics.

Her current role at SunTrust Oil includes the management of the Finance and Commercial departments. Rachel works proactively with the SunTrust JV Partner to review cost of production and implement strategies to produce crude at most possible minimum cost; improve project management process and budgetary controls to avoid cost overrun; develop a clearly defined and ring-fenced cost structure for projects/subsidiaries/assets. Rachel manages SunTrust Oil’s financial portfolio, liaises with banks and other financial institutions to structure and restructure loan facilities/portfolio to ease interest and principal repayment and improve cash flow. She is also responsible for corporate tax management and implementation of an effective tax management strategy by ensuring tax efficiency of all transaction vehicles, prompt filing of tax returns (PPT, CITA) and ensures total compliance with all tax regulations. She ensures timely implementation of action plans from various audits and reviews and fosters a risk and controls conscious business environment.

HILARY OKONYE

DIRECTOR

Hilary is a Director at SunTrust Oil. He graduated from the University of Benin, Benin City, where he obtained a B.Eng. in Production Engineering with a second class honours (Upper division).

He has over 13 years of experience in drilling, workover operation and other industry related jobs. He started his career in Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Limited (APDL) as a Wellsite Drilling Engineer before joining SunTrust Oil Company Limited as a Well Engineer and within ten years grew to the position of Unit Head, Wells department.

In this current position, he manages the portfolio of projects; ranging from drilling of Exploratory/Appraisal/Development wells to reactivation of existing wells through workover and intervention programmes. He manages the Umusadege field Wells team in their various functions which includes well planning, scope development, readiness preparation and execution of drilling and well services operation in the field. This also includes workover program and the preparation for an extensive well decommissioning (P&A) project scope. Hilary is responsible for building in-house drilling and completion capabilities and processes (well delivery process, workover operation process and well intervention process).

He is also responsible for cost performance, safety and operational excellence during drilling, completion, workover and well intervention activities. He is involved in several multi-disciplinary efforts such as putting together the Umusadege field development plan.

email: info@suntrustoil.com

YEWANDE AJILORE

HEAD, LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE

Yewande is a skilled legal practitioner with expertise in Business Advisory, Corporate & Commercial and Energy & Project Finance Law with over 12 years of hands-on experience.

Prior to joining SunTrust Oil, she was Senior Counsel at one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms where she was a member of the Corporate & Commercial and Energy and Project Finance practice groups. Whilst in law firm practice, she was involved in complex cutting-edge transactions related to private equity, investments, mergers and acquisitions, energy and project finance projects as well as business structuring.

Over her legal career, she has been actively involved in the provision of creative and excellent legal advice on corporate, commercial and regulatory compliance matters to local and multinational companies and investors seeking to do or already doing business in Nigeria. She served on boards of diverse companies as company secretary and routinely advised on company law and corporate governance matters.

Yewande holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in International Commercial Law from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. She was admitted into the Nigerian Bar in 2008 and is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group.

email: info@suntrustoil.com

EKENO NDEBBIO

FINANCE AND JV ACCOUNTS MANAGER

Ekeno is a graduate of accounting from the University of Calabar, also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

He started his career with Stanbic-IBTC Pension Managers Limited before joining KPMG Professional Services where he gained extensive experience in audit, accounting, advisory, process reviews, audit due diligence, internal control design and implementation on various client engagements spanning across diverse industries, with specific reference to Oil and Gas (both upstream and downstream sectors), Telecommunications, Marine& Shipping industries in Nigeria.

Ekeno’s core specialization is in Oil and Gas industry of the Nigerian economy and he has been involved in providing services to various multinational companies with varying reporting requirements including but not limited to SoX and SAS. His skills and specialties include audit of financial statements in accordance with applicable standards, statutory reviews, financial reporting and analysis (focus on oil and gas industry), controllership, regulatory compliance, treasury management, budgeting and budgetary control and setting up/monitoring the implementation of internal control systems.

email: info@suntrustoil.com

OKENWA KALU EMEKWO

HEAD, OPERATIONS AND HSE

Okenwa is SunTrust Oil’s Operations Manager and has over 14 year's working experience in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, most of them in Geosciences, Production operation, Project management, Crude Oil Export and other Oil industry-related services. Okenwa is a member of the Umusadege OML 56 Joint Venture Technical/Subsurface team and has been since 2008. He is actively involved in the development of the Umusadege Oil field; which oil production has increased from 1,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) at inception to currently over 15,000bopd.

Okenwa has also gained experience in 3D Seismic and Well log interpretations, well surveillance and surveillance reporting, well testing operations, contracting and bid evaluations and as Liaison officer, providing interface coordination between the JV operation and the various regulatory agencies.

Okenwa is currently the Operation Manager, SunTrust Oil Nigeria Limited. He manages the SunTrust Oil Crude export department processes, from the preparation of Documentary Instructions for every export to the processing of the Clean Certificate of Inspection at the end of every crude lifting operation.

Okenwa is a graduate of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, where he obtained a B. Tech in Geophysics. He also obtained a Master of Science degree, in International Management, with specialization in Oil and Gas operations, from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.

email: info@suntrustoil.com

Management Team

Ugo Okafor

Rachel Akhuetie (FCA)

Hilary Okonye

Yewande Ajilore

Ekeno Ndebbio

Okenwa Kalu Emekwo

Email

Telephone

UGO OKAFOR

PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

RACHEL AKHUETIE (FCA)

Executive Director, Finance, Commercial and Services

HILARY OKONYE

DIRECTOR

YEWANDE AJILORE

HEAD, LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE

EKENO NDEBBIO

FINANCE AND JV ACCOUNTS MANAGER

OKENWA KALU EMEKWO

HEAD, OPERATIONS AND HSE