Board of Directors

The Board of Directors consists of five members with Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani as the Executive Chairman.

Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani
Executive Chairman

Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani is an experienced oil and gas executive and has served on DNO’s Board of Directors since spring of 2011 and as its chairman since summer of that year.

Mr. Mossavar-Rahmani serves concurrently as Executive Chairman of Oslo-listed RAK Petroleum plc, DNO’s largest shareholder. He is a member of the Visiting Committee of the Harvard Kennedy School and Trustees of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has published more than ten books on global energy markets and was decorated Commandeur de l’Ordre National de la Côte d’Ivoire for services to the energy sector of that country. Mr. Mossavar-Rahmani is a graduate of Princeton (AB) and Harvard Universities (MPA). He is a member of the nomination and remuneration committees.

Lars Arne Takla
Deputy Chairman

Lars Arne Takla has extensive experience from various managerial, executive and board positions in the international oil and gas industry.

Mr. Takla has held various managerial positions with ConocoPhillips, including Managing Director and President of the Scandinavian Division. He was Executive Chairman of the Norwegian Energy Company ASA between 2005 and 2011. Mr. Takla was appointed Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for his strong contribution to the Norwegian petroleum industry. He holds a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He was elected to DNO’s Board of Directors in 2012 and is a member of the HSSE committee.

Elin Karfjell
Director

Elin Karfjell is Managing Partner of Atelika AS and has held various management positions across a broad range of industries.

Ms. Karfjell has served as Chief Executive Officer of Fabi Group, Director of Finance and Administration at Atea AS and partner of Ernst & Young AS and Arthur Andersen. Other board directorships include Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, North Energy ASA and Contesto AS. She has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences and a Master of Science in Accounting and Auditing from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. Ms. Karfjell was elected to DNO’s Board of Directors in 2015 and is a member of the audit committee.

Gunnar Hirsti
Director

Gunnar Hirsti has extensive experience from various managerial, executive and board positions in the oil and gas industry as well as the information technology industry in Norway.

Mr. Hirsti was Chief Executive Officer of DSND Subsea ASA (now Subsea 7 S.A.) for a period of six years. He also served as Executive Chairman of the Board of Blom ASA, which is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, for eight years. Mr. Hirsti holds a degree in drilling engineering from Tønsberg Maritime Høyskole in Norway. He was elected to DNO’s Board of Directors in 2007 and is a member of the audit and remuneration committees.

Shelley Watson
Director

Shelley Watson began her career as a reservoir surveillance and facilities engineer with Esso Australia in its offshore Bass Strait operation.

Subsequently she held management positions with Novus Petroleum, Indago Petroleum and RAK Petroleum PCL where she served as General Manager until 2014. She was appointed as Chief Operating Officer of RAK Petroleum plc in February 2017. Ms. Watson holds a First Class Honours degree in chemical engineering and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne. She has served on DNO’s Board of Directors since 2010 and is a member of the audit committee.