Preng & Associates Assists SOGC, LLC with President Search
September 18, 2026 – Following a comprehensive executive search, Houston-based Preng & Associates assisted in the recruitment of David French as the new president of SOGC, LLC. “Preng & Associates is proud to have supported this important leadership appointment and continues to partner with energy companies worldwide in identifying and securing transformative executive talent,” the firm said.
Mr. French brings more than three decades of experience in the energy industry, with a distinguished career spanning executive leadership, upstream operations, business development, strategy, and organizational transformation.
Prior to joining SOGC, Mr. French was a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he co-led the firm’s global joint ventures & alliances practice and advised energy companies on operational improvement, capital efficiency, and strategic initiatives. He previously served as president and CEO of Rosehill Resources, Obsidian Energy Ltd., and Bankers Petroleum Ltd., leading growth initiatives, operational transformations, and commercial strategies across multiple domestic and international markets.
Earlier in his career, Mr. French held senior leadership positions at Apache Corporation, including global vice president of business development, where he led acquisition and divestiture activities totaling billions of dollars in transaction value. He also served as regional production manager for Apache’s Western Canada operations. Mr. French began his career at Amoco Production Company (now BP), where he held engineering and operational leadership roles focused on Permian Basin assets and a variety of reservoir development strategies, including primary, secondary, and tertiary recovery. Throughout his career, Mr. French has worked across diverse oil and gas assets in Canada, the United States, and Europe, developing expertise across a broad range of reservoir types and development environments.
“It is a true privilege to join this organization managing the upstream oil and gas company under the privately held portfolio,” Mr. French said in a LinkedIn post. “I look forward to working closely with the talented members of the SOGC team as we navigate our positions in the Permian and the Bakken.”
SOGC, LLC (formerly Sinclair Oil & Gas Company) is a privately held upstream exploration and production company based in Salt Lake City, UT. Operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of the REH Company, it focuses on the extraction and production of hydrocarbons across the Permian, Williston Basins, and Arkoma Basins.
Related: Preng & Associates Fills Senior Post for Worley
Preng & Associates, founded in 1980, is the only retainer-based, international executive search firm specializing solely in the energy industry. The firm’s experience spans the entire energy value chain – from the well head to the wall socket. Its subsector verticals have specific expertise in oil and gas (upstream, midstream, and downstream), oilfield equipment and services, power and utilities, renewables, engineering and construction, and industrials. Preng & Associates has conducted more than 4,000 engagements for over 900 companies and placed individuals for board, executive management, and professional positions in 92 countries.
Caturus Energy Search
Preng & Associates recently recruited Mary Kenner as chief human resources officer at Caturus Energy LLC. The completion of the executive search comes at a pivotal moment for Caturus, as the company advances its ambition to build the nation’s leading independent integrated natural gas and LNG business through its differentiated wellhead-to-water strategy. Preng & Associates partnered with Caturus to identify and secure a senior human resources leader with deep experience across large-scale energy organizations and complex workforce environments. Ms. Kenner brings more than 25 years of HR leadership experience across the energy sector.
Private Equity Recruiting – Return on Investment: Creating Value with Talent
Talent has become a defining driver of performance in private equity, shaping how firms manage risk, execute strategy, and deliver sustained returns. As deal cycles tighten and value creation depends increasingly on operational excellence, leadership quality and organizational design are no longer secondary considerations — they are central to how firms source, underwrite, and scale investments. From talent diligence and CEO succession to team integration and leadership development, human capital decisions now influence outcomes across the entire investment lifecycle.
Hunt Scanlon Media will convene more than 250 private equity operating partners, chief talent officers, and executive recruiters at the Hilton in Chicago on September 29, 2026. The program will explore how firms are elevating human capital into a core driver of investment outcomes—redefining how leadership is assessed, built, and deployed across the portfolio to support growth, execution, and long-term value creation.
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“We are proud to have supported Caturus in securing a leader of Mary’s caliber at such a transformational stage in the company’s growth,” said David Preng, partner at Preng & Associates. “Her experience in aligning human capital strategy with large-scale infrastructure and energy operations positions her well to support the continued expansion of the platform.”
Ms. Kenner brings more than 25 years of HR leadership experience across the energy sector. Previously, she was senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Freeport LNG, leading the company’s HR and corporate administration functions and advising executive leadership on workforce strategy, compensation, employee relations, and leadership development.
Related: Preng & Associates Recruits SVP of Government Services for American Bureau of Shipping
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
