Seadrill, an offshore drilling contractor, has decided to hand the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position to its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).
Seadrill has made a leadership change by appointing Samir Ali , Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Simon Johnson , which is effective immediately.
Julie J. Robertson , Chair of the Board of Seadrill, commented: “The board is confident that Samir is the right leader to guide Seadrill forward. Since joining the company, he has demonstrated strong leadership, deep industry knowledge, and a clear commitment to operational excellence.
“We look forward to working closely with him as Seadrill continues to build on its strong foundation. I stand ready to provide Samir whatever support he needs as he makes this transition to CEO.”
Ali has served as CCO since August 2022. Prior to joining the company, he was with Diamond Offshore, most recently serving as Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Development.
Seadrill’s new CEO previously held roles as a Debt and Equity Investment Portfolio Manager at Bain Capital and as an Investment Banker at Simmons & Company.
The rig owner recently won multiple drilling assignments, including a one-year priced option with Equinor offshore Brazil.