David is an experienced leader with a track record that is a testament to his business and entrepreneurial acumen. Countercyclically but intuitively, David started the Assala Energy project in 2016 on the back end of the 2014-16 crisis, with the capital support of Carlyle's private equity fund.He brought together a team of professionals, with whom he had worked during his career. Chosen for their expertise and track-record, they have, together, under his leadership, built on decades of experience to turn around aging assets. The achievements include: - transforming the company, its organisation and business from a loss-making, low production entity with a short-term future into a profitable, fit-for-purpose, adaptable entity with a long-term future;- investments of $1.5 billion in the assets over a 6-year period increasing asset integrity and capacity in a responsible manner; - rejuvenating reserves with an outstanding 180% Reserves Replacement Ratio; - organically adding new resources to the portfolio, extending the business horizon; - increasing production after decades of said-irreversible natural decline;- ensuring compliance with IFC Environmental & Social Performance Standards and ISO14001, with, as a result among many, Sustainalytics ranking Assala Energy's ESG Risk management in the top 7% of Oil & Gas industry.David’s career began in the French Army's paratroops as an officer. In 1996 he returned to Oil & Gas, in line with his academic qualifications, beginning in Gabon with Kelt-Energy (later Perenco), where he held various offshore positions, ultimately becoming Operations Manager and delivering significant growth.He then moved to Vaalco as their Managing Director in Gabon, setting up their business and successfully developing the offshore pre-salt discovery Etame, and making subsequent discoveries Avouma and Ebouri.In 2006, David joined Tullow Oil, starting out as Business Manager for the Central & West Africa region, spanning from Angola to Guinea along the West African coast. During this time, Tullow achieved reserves replacements of over 100% in mature assets and carried out new-country entries for high-profile exploration throughout the region. He was then promoted to Senior Advisor to Tullow’s Founder & Chief Executive, troubleshooting the company’s contractual, fiscal, commercial issues across the African Continent.David holds a Master degree in Process Engineering from France’s National School of Chemical Industries, and a Master degree in Petroleum Engineering and Economics at the French Petroleum Institute (IFP).