The Inquisitive Engineer: Chris Bird's Secrets to Outperforming Major Operators

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Kenny is joined by Chris Bird of Riskwell, who is also the Chief Development Officer for Meridian Resources and the disciplined head of risk for Fiteq. Chris details his unique journey from an engineering apprenticeship to a distinguished career in oil and gas, with a focus on risk management and innovation.He shares how a mindset of inquisitiveness and courage led to remarkable project successes, including drastically reducing the cost of the Kingfisher project and pioneering offshore fracking using temporary equipment on a supply boat to exploit difficult fields like Chiswick. Chris recounts the early, high-profit success of the Cassandra project at Venture and the dramatic turnaround of Carvana as MD by radically restructuring the business and implementing a new client strategy. He also discusses the current challenges facing the oil and gas industry, such as smaller fields, rising cost bases, and issues with project delivery.Chris concludes by offering his philosophy for a successful career, emphasising the three internal aspects of passion, commitment, and courage, and explains his "random communication" leadership style, which enabled Venture to outperform major operators by being 30% cheaper and twice as fast.