Hired

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has hired away an expert in grassroots mobilization from a leading environmental group to help get across the message of the importance of natural gas and oil in generating jobs and contributing to the nation’s economy and security.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has hired away an expert in grassroots mobilization from a leading environmental group to help get across the message of the importance of natural gas and oil in generating jobs and contributing to the nation’s economy and security.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has hired away an expert in grassroots mobilization from a leading environmental group to help get across the message of the importance of natural gas and oil in generating jobs and contributing to the nation’s economy and security.

RBS Sempra Commodities, the joint venture energy and metals trading business of UK-based Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and San Diego-based Sempra Energy, hired a new CEO, Kaushik Amin, who most recently spent 14 years at Lehman Brothers where he rose to head the investment bank’s trading operations. Amin will report to Peter Nielsen, global head of markets at RBS’ global banking and markets division. Amin replaces David Messer, who resigned the RBS Sempra CEO position in late March (see Daily GPI, March 26). In the interim, Sempra CFO Mark Snell and Jeremy Wright, chief administrative officer of RBS Markets, had jointly headed the commodities trading joint venture. Amin holds a mechanical engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai, India, and a master’s degree in operations research and a Ph.D. in finance from Cornell University.

Constellation Energy has hired Morgan Stanley and UBS to advise it on “strategic alternatives” and said Wednesday “the company and its advisors are in active discussions with potential strategic partners.” Meanwhile, Constellation shares posted a second day of steep declines, and Standard & Poor’s (S&P) warned of a “multiple-notch” downgrade if the company’s credit position isn’t bolstered.

Royal Dutch Shell said Wednesday that it has hired former U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton as general counsel for Shell Exploration and Production’s unconventional resources division. Norton, who stepped down as Interior secretary in March, will provide and coordinate legal services for Shell starting in mid January, the company said.

Calpine said it hired Larry B. Leverett as its new senior vice president of gas trading, responsible for managing natural gas positions and risk management strategies for Calpine’s 25,100 MW gas-fired power portfolio. Leverett previously was senior vice president of wholesale markets for TXU Portfolio Management LP. He also served in senior management positions with Avista Energy and El Paso Energy. Most recently, he was a senior consultant for PNM Resources, leading commercial and operational management for its Southwest gas and power businesses. “Calpine is one of North America’s largest gas-fired power producers, which makes us one of the country’s largest natural gas end-users and traders. Larry’s proven track record for leading successful gas and power trading and risk management initiatives will enhance our commercial operations — creating value for both our customers and Calpine — and help position the new Calpine for profitable growth,” said Thomas N. May, Calpine’s executive vice president of commercial operations.

Calpine said it hired Larry B. Leverett as its new senior vice president of gas trading, responsible for managing natural gas positions and risk management strategies for Calpine’s 25,100 MW gas-fired power portfolio. Leverett previously was senior vice president of wholesale markets for TXU Portfolio Management LP. He also served in senior management positions with Avista Energy and El Paso Energy. Most recently, he was a senior consultant for PNM Resources, leading commercial and operational management for its Southwest gas and power businesses. “Calpine is one of North America’s largest gas-fired power producers, which makes us one of the country’s largest natural gas end-users and traders. Larry’s proven track record for leading successful gas and power trading and risk management initiatives will enhance our commercial operations — creating value for both our customers and Calpine — and help position the new Calpine for profitable growth,” said Thomas N. May, Calpine’s executive vice president of commercial operations.

Joseph (Joe) N. Jaggers has been hired as COO and president of the Bill Barrett Corp. effective immediately, the company announced Monday. Jaggers had been COO and president at the predecessor Barrett Resources Corp. (also started by Bill Barrett) when it was sold to Williams in 2001. Most recently he was regional vice president for E&P for Williams. The 52-year old Jaggers has had a 25-year career managing oil and gas operations, with significant experience in both conventional and unconventional operations such as tight gas and coal bed methane. Fred Barrett, Chairman and CEO, commented, “We are excited to add Joe to our experienced management team. He has a long record of achieving production and reserve growth and has operational experience in many of the same Rockies basins in which we operate, including the Piceance, Powder River, Wind River, Uinta, and Rocky Mountain Overthrust.