Global inspection, repair, maintenance (IRM) and light construction company, Harkand, has appointed Doug Fieldgate as Africa General Manager.

Doug has 23 years of experience in the African Oil and Gas market primarily focused on West Africa – he will be based in the North America and Africa operations headquarters in Houston and will lead the company’s expansion into the region.

The assignment of a general manager for Africa follows Harkand’s successes in the region including the recent contract award by Technip in Ghana providing survey services, and the one year contract for an oil and gas operator to deliver ROV, project management, engineering and technical support services in Nigeria, Harkand wrote.

Doug will draw on his considerable in-region experience to create a cohesive offering for operators throughout the African oil and gas sector, the company added.

Chief executive officer John Reed said: “Our strategic expansion into Africa will strengthen our ability to respond to the needs of our clients. Doug’s in-depth knowledge of the region and our successful collaboration with our local partners will ensure we achieve this goal in the various countries with a coordinated resilience.”

Mathieu Guillemin, non-executive director of Harkand and managing director at Oaktree Capital Management, added: “The expansion into Africa is another success in our overall strategy and we look forward to the continued progress. Financial strength is key for continuing to pursue the strategy and Oaktree stays committed to Harkand during the downturn in this cyclical market.”