ChampionX has appointed Mohammed Al-Khalifa to the newly created role of general manager of Saudi Arabia to spearhead the region for further growth in 2021, the company said on Feb. 2.

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"ChampionX has an enviable reputation in the Kingdom, and I’m thrilled to be joining at this exciting juncture as we implement strategic plans to increase our local manufacturing capabilities and world-class standard of products the organization is globally renowned for," Al-Khalifa said.

Al-Khalifa brings more than 18 years’ oil and gas experience to the business, most recently holding the title of director business development and commercial at Wood Plc. Prior to this, he held several senior roles across operations, engineering and project management disciplines at the state-owned national oil company Saudi Aramco.

In his new position, Al-Khalifa will play a central role in implementing the business’ long-term strategy and streamlining its current operations to support ongoing demand for its services. As the most senior person in-Kingdom he will also work closely with ChampionX’s global leadership team as well as overseeing all operations in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Khalifa will be based at the company’s chemical plant in Dammam and will oversee around 80 employees.

ChampionX (formerly known as Nalco Champion and Apergy Corp.) has been operating in Saudi Arabia for almost 30 years and is a global leader in chemistry solutions and highly engineered equipment and technologies that help companies drill for and produce oil and gas safely and efficiently around the world.

“As we continue to accelerate our business growth plans in Saudi Arabia, we understood the benefit of appointing a dedicated general manger to lead our operations in the Kingdom,” Susan Hart, general manager Europe, Middle East & North Africa, said. “As a Saudi national, Mohammed’s experience and knowledge of the local market will be invaluable in expanding our footprint and producing even greater results for our customers with our innovative solutions.”