Well it’s a very sad day for myself (personally) and BMD Members. The resignation of Matra Petroleum’s Exploration Director Dr Neil Hodgson was announced this morning.
I spoke to Dr Hodgson this afternoon & expressed my disbelief. This is the man widely held responsible for discovering the Sokolovskoe field. Indeed Dr Hodgson’s career is peppered with exploration success’ which may go some way as to understanding why he has decided to move to pastures new.
Neil feels that he is leaving Matra in very good shape. So much so that he believes that “Matra will be mega under Barskiy & Hind” The whole emphasis of the company has changed from exploration to development and herein may lie the key to why Neil may have decided to move on.
Dr Hodgson is a hands on get your fingers dirty geologist who loves nothing better than being in the field at the forefront of exploration. Matra’s way forward is seen by many as now changing from exploration to developement. The whisper from our contacts is that after 6 years Neil may have succumbed to one of the many lucrative offers to go back into the field to develop a new seismic/geological model for an unnamed Norwegian company. I did put this to Neil and as ever he refused to comment. (Typical Dr Hodgson a man of huge integrity second to none.) As I understand it Dr Hodgson has received many offers during his 6 year Matra stewardship so it’s to be expected that we should hear of an appointment after May 31 this year.
I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of our Members in thanking Neil Hodgson for his sterling work on behalf of share-holders. On a personal note I’d like to express my thanks to Neil for each & every telephone call & email that he took the time to answer. He never ducked any call or email. A man of huge integrity, ability & respected by his industry peers, who was always willing to listen & debate points with me. It just won’t be the same without him. One of our finest moments was to get Neil to write an article on exploration. Neil was in-fact Jackson Black! http://www.guerillainvesting.co.uk/2010/11/15/jackson-black-our-man-in-havana/
On behalf of our Members (741) I’d like to wish Dr Neil Hodgson all the very best for the future.
BMD MEMBERS.
Cool + I read the Jackson Black article too, a very informative take on the process of exploration, for an individual like me with no understanding of what goes into the process. Thank you Dr Neil Hodgson and good luck to you!
I would like to wish Niel Hodgson success wherever he goes .
Just curious, could Barsky be a reason for his leaving? i.e he sees the writing on the wall in terms of the direction of the company and perhaps the big egos of some of those russian businessmen may have a factor??
It seems strange that he announces his resignation just a couple of weeks after a seismic change in the company makeup and the presence of a new “big gun” on the board room table…