EIG, a leading institutional investor to the global energy and infrastructure sectors, today announced that De la Rey Venter has joined the firm as Chief Executive Officer of MidOcean Energy (“MidOcean”) and as a Managing Director of EIG. MidOcean is an EIG-controlled LNG company seeking to create a diversified “pure play” integrated LNG portfolio of high-quality operating LNG projects with strong existing cash flow. Mr. Venter is a 25-year industry veteran with global operating, dealmaking and business leadership experience in the mining, upstream and LNG sectors. Among other roles, he served as Executive Vice President of Integrated Gas Ventures, responsible for the majority of Shell’s LNG and natural gas assets, and previously also as Shell’s Global Head of LNG. He will be based in EIG’s London office.
“LNG is a key enabler of the energy transition and is increasingly a geopolitically strategic energy source,” said R. Blair Thomas, EIG’s Chairman and CEO. “EIG has long been a key capital provider to the sector and has already invested in nine LNG projects, globally, involving both liquefaction and regasification. Adding someone of De la Rey’s caliber to lead MidOcean further demonstrates our commitment to LNG and the energy transition. We welcome De la Rey aboard and are excited about the future that he will help develop for MidOcean.”
Mr. Venter added, “EIG’s vision for MidOcean presents a compelling proposition for a world that will need LNG for a long time to come. We share a strong belief in the important role of LNG, as part of a family of low and no carbon gasses, to help the world transition to a Net Zero future. I look forward to working with the team to build a business of substance, based on EIG’s extensive track record in global LNG, and for this business to have real impact in this highly relevant sector of the global energy industry.”
Mr. Venter first joined Shell in 2002. In addition to his roles as EVP of Integrated Gas Ventures and Global Head of LNG, he has held diverse positions globally, including EVP Upstream Joint Ventures, EVP Gas & Power Africa, and VP Commercial in Qatar. Mr. Venter has also been responsible for Shell’s CCUS and Blue Hydrogen manufacturing themes. Mr. Venter holds an MBA with Honors from IMD in Switzerland, a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Cum Laude) from the Northwest University and an Honors Degree in Finance and Investment Management (Cum Laude) from the University of Johannesburg, both in South Africa.