Bob Keiller - 31st Grampian Industrialist
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The 31st Grampian Industrialist of the Year was announced on Friday 7 March 2008 as being Bob Keiller, CEO of global oil and gas service company, Production Services Network (PSN).
The award is granted to the individual in Aberdeen and North East Scotland who is deemed to have made the most outstanding entrepreneurial contribution to business. Selection of the Grampian Industrialist winner takes into account career history of the individual, company growth and success, the role and contribution of the individual, their people development and their entrepreneurial skills.
Managed by Junior Chamber International Aberdeen (JCIA), the 2008 winner was announced at a glittering black tie awards dinner at Ardoe House Hotel near Aberdeen. JCIA project manager Grace Burns said: "We had a great response for nominations this year and it was an honour to announce the 31st winner who will, undoubtedly continue the tradition of excellence associated with the Grampian Industrialist Award".
Bob Keiller leads an executive team of nine who in turn oversee more than 8,500 employees working in 20 countries. As one of the top ten largest private Scottish companies, PSN is the result of the management-buy-out of the Production Services element of KBR, the engineering part of Houston-based Halliburton. Bob, together with CFO Duncan Skinner, worked for 15 months to engineer this award-winning separation which was finalised on May 1st, 2006.
Bob’s leadership qualities, technical operational experience and outstanding commercial expertise have been developed through 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. After graduating in 1986, Bob Keiller worked as an engineer for BP, gaining chartered status in 1990. He was then head-hunted by a technical consultancy where he worked for 2 years. He was head-hunted again by oil producer Amerada Hess in 1992,where he held a variety of management roles across the group.
After joining Halliburton in January 2002, Bob became head of UK operations for KBR’s Production Services the following May and was appointed Managing Director for global operations in 2004.
Under Bob’s leadership, PSN won the 'Management-Buy-Out' of the year at the 2006 annual Scottish Business Insider Deals and Dealmakers awards ceremony. Similarly, Bob was named ‘Entrepreneur of the year’ at the 2006 Entrepreneurial Exchange awards for “his success in taking big business back into Scottish hands”.
Bob has a Master of Engineering degree from Heriot-Watt University and is a Chartered Engineer. He is chairman of the Offshore Contractors Association (OCA) whose members employ two-thirds of people in the UK offshore oil and gas industry, a member of the cross-industry Step Change in Safety Leadership Team and an active member and former chairman of the Aberdeen & District Round Table. Bob also mentors undergraduates from Heriot-Watt University and high potential staff from within PSN.
On accepting the award Bob Keiller said: "It is a huge honour to win the 31st Grampian Industrialist of the Year award especially with the prestigious list of past winners. PSN’s success is built on the flair and commitment of an exceptional management team and the expertise of 8,500 people working across the globe. My heartfelt thanks to all who make up PSN’s network."
Grace Burns added: "Bob's 20 year span within the oil and gas sector has been hugely successful but his biggest achievement to date has been in securing the management buyout of PSN. His experience within the energy sector, coupled with strong leadership skills and a clear vision for PSN has deservedly earned Bob Keiller the coveted title of 2008 Grampian Industrialist of the Year."
