1st Ghanaian woman to lead an oil firm – Kadijah Amoah heads Aker Energy Ghana

• Posted on January 31, 2020January 31, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Aker Energy AS has appointed Mrs. Kadijah Amoah as Country Director of Aker Energy Ghana Ltd, effective 1 February 2020.

The appointment follows Aker Energy’s strategy to strengthen the company’s local presence and management in Ghana.

By this, she becomes the first Ghanaian woman to lead an oil firm operating in the country.

“We are very pleased to strengthen our team and presence in Ghana with Kadijah as the Country Director of Aker Energy in Ghana. With Kadijah’s experience, I am confident that she will lead with success as we move towards the development phase of the Pecan project offshore Ghana,” says Svein Jakob Liknes, CEO of
Aker Energy AS.

Mrs. Amoah will be appointed to the Executive Management Team of Aker Energy AS in addition to heading the country office of Aker Energy in Ghana. She will also work closely with affiliated companies AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited (“AGM”) and Aker Ghana Investment Company (“AGIC”) in Ghana, two companies with the same majority owner as Aker Energy, and hold directorships in both companies.

Mrs. Amoah, a Ghanaian citizen, is a lawyer by training and holds degrees in law and political science, a master’s degree in international business, and awaits the award of a postgraduate diploma in strategy and innovation.

Prior to joining Aker Energy, Mrs. Amoah was a Senior Foreign Lawyer at the German office of Clifford Chance LLM, one of the largest law firms in the world.

“I am extremely pleased to join Aker Energy at such an important stage of the company’s history. Building on the Aker group’s 180 years’ industrial heritage, Aker Energy will, together with AGM and AGIC, take the lead to develop Ghana’s oil and gas resources and related industries,” says Mrs. Amoah.

“It all starts with the Pecan project operated by Aker Energy; but this is just the beginning. AGM’s plans to explore and appraise the SDWT block and AGIC’s plans to pursue development opportunities stand as testaments to Aker’s commitment to industry development in Ghana beyond the upcoming project,” she
added.

Mr. Jan Helge Skogen has held the role of Country Manager since May 2018 and has been instrumental in building a strong organisation and foothold for Aker Energy in Ghana. Mr. Skogen will stay on as an advisor until 1 March 2020.

“Since Jan Helge took on the role in 2018, the mandate was to establish a strong foundation for further growth whilst identifying a long-term, Ghanaian successor. As the company enters a new phase, it was natural to effectuate the leadership transition. I would like to thank Jan Helge for his remarkable effort and commitment over the past two years. When stepping down as Country Manager, he is now concluding a long and notable career within the oil and gas industry, including various assignments as country manager across the globe,” says Mr. Liknes.

-Citi