Caldwell Recruits CEO for Intelligent Wellhead Systems
December 10, 2021 – Toronto-based Caldwell has assisted in the recruitment of William Standifird as CEO of Intelligent Wellhead Systems Inc. in Calgary. Kenneth Baillie and Les Gombik led the assignment. “William is a strong addition to the executive team, and his leadership skills will help the IWS management team accelerate growth of our innovative approach to helping operators deliver safe and efficient completions,” said Gary Cresswell, independent non-executive chairman of the board.
Mr. Standifird’s 24-year international career includes operational and leadership positions in drilling, completions and production technologies with start-up and major oilfield service companies including Schlumberger and Halliburton. Previously, he served as global vice president of sales and marketing at AccessESP. Before that, Mr. Standifird was with Halliburton for almost 12 years serving in various senior roles.
“I am thrilled to lead the Intelligent Wellhead Systems team as we advance our portfolio of digital completion technologies,” said Mr. Standifird. Our inVision technology platform is unmatched in helping oil and gas operators improve completions performance. Developing and implementing a safer, more reliable and effective digital infrastructure for hydraulic fracturing and wireline operations promise to create significant value for our customers and shareholders.”
Intelligent Wellhead Systems designs, tests, manufactures, and deploys proprietary and unique digital safety and efficiency workflow technologies for oil and gas well completion operations. The company’s inVision technology platform helps oil/gas and oilfield service companies reduce operating risk, lower the total cost of operations, and improve uptime.
Caldwell’s team has broad-ranging expertise in every industrial vertical and business function throughout North America and beyond. The firm’s industrial practice serves clients in the automotive, aerospace, agriculture, aviation, building products, capital equipment, chemicals, distribution, energy, logistics, marine, mining, natural resources, oil and gas, rail, trucking and warehousing sectors.
Mr. Baillie is a partner in Caldwell’s Houston office, and a key member of the industrial practice, focusing on the upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas sectors in particular. With over 15 years of executive search experience, Mr. Baillie has recruited executives that range from board to executive chairman, CEO, managing director and general manager, as well as a range of EVP, SVP and VP-level appointments for some of the industry’s most well recognized operator companies and service providers. Additionally, he regularly collaborates with venture capital and private equity firms to appoint key leadership positions within their portfolio companies.
Mr. Gombik is managing partner of Caldwell’s prairie region. With more than 25 years of executive and board search and human resources experience, he has a broad perspective on the most pressing talent issues in executive management today. His particular focus is on board and senior executive positions for commercially oriented, public, private and private equity-backed enterprises within the industrial, consumer and financial services sectors.
The Mining Sector
Mining plays a vital role in the economy of states and regions where the industry is concentrated. The minerals and products produced in this sector are also critical to the nation’s economy. Mining industry employers, for their part, say that this year they expect the strongest industry sector comparisons labor market in 10 years, according to the latest “Employment Outlook Survey,” released by ManpowerGroup.
The mining industry is famously dynamic and volatile with increasing skill shortages, expanding asset diversity and growing emphasis on operational performance, cost containment and capital protection, all on a global scale, said Lincoln Strategic. To compete in today’s market, companies must secure talent more aggressively and intelligently than ever before.
According to executive recruiters, global economic uncertainty has created a complex operational environment for mining firms characterized by price volatility, increasing costs, operational challenges and shifting regulation.
“In response, companies must invest in the recruitment and development of high quality global talent, with the skills to deliver cost reductions and productivity gains,” said Odgers Berndtson, a search firm with a specialty mining and minerals practice.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
