John Bentley

John Bentley has over 40 years of experience in international natural resource development, with a specific focus on Africa’s upstream oil and gas industry since 1993 when he was appointed chief executive of exploration and production at South African oil company Engen.

In 1996, Mr Bentley was instrumental in the formation of Energy Africa and its listing on the Johannesburg and Luxembourg stock exchanges. Over the next five years as chief executive, he led Energy Africa's growth with a fourfold increase in production, operations in 12 African countries, and several important hydrocarbon resource discoveries. This laid the foundation for Tullow Oil to launch a successful US$500 million takeover of the company in 2004.

Mr Bentley had also held executive and board roles in numerous Africa-focused E&P companies including Vanco Energy Company, FirstAfrica Oil, Rift Oil, Caracal Energy, Faroe Petroleum, Wentworth Resources and Africa Energy Corp, which made the significant Brulpadda and Luiperd play opening discoveries offshore South Africa.

He holds a degree in Metallurgy from Brunel University.