Ali Kardor
,Managing Director,NIOC
Let’s face it − running the National Iranian Oil Company is not an easy job.
Being hugely blessed with oil and gas reserves which all manner of supermajor hydrocarbon firms would like a slice of − if it weren’t for the fact the world’s only superpower is continuously threatening to re-impose rigorous economic sanctions on you and rip up the agreements of previous administrations. It might seem surprising then that its managing director has broken into our top five.
The answer? Russia. Last November, Vladimir Putin’s trip to Tehran was the setting for the signing of hefty deals with huge Russian oil and gas operators such as Gazprom and Rosneft. The UK’s Financial Times put the total value at $30bn with the deals covering sectors such as exploration and field services.
France’s Total also put pen to paper on an initial $1bn deal to develop the South Pars gas field last summer but international pressure could force it to pull out. If so, minority partner China’s CNPC might just step up in its place.
