Our team
Making complex easy for our clients and our people is what we do. Solving problems that matter confidently and pragmatically and using our deep expertise and global perspective to connect our people and clients.
Meet the RPS Training team that provide the energy sector with industry-leading capability development solutions.
Andy Kirchin
Managing Director – Technical, Training and Advisory
Andy has 35 years of experience in energy consulting services. He is a geophysicist by background but has specialized in leading multidisciplinary projects for much of his career. Now based in Houston, Andy leads the global Training, Technical and Advisory (TT&A) division as it navigates the energy transition and supports our oil and gas clients to thrive in a low-carbon economy.
Simon Suggate
Global Operations Director
Simon has 19 years of experience in education, research and training. A geoscientist by background, with broad interdisciplinary operational, commercial and project management background. Responsible for the strategic direction, global operations and commercial activities of the training division.
Gary Nichols
Head of Technical Development
Gary has 37 years of experience in education and training. A geologist by background, he has worked as a university professor specialising in curriculum development, instructional design and quality assurance in addition to geoscience research, publishing and teaching. He is responsible for developing learning and development strategies, new energy subject areas, and different modes of delivery.
Steve Western
Chief Geoscientist
Steve has over 35 years of experience with E&P companies, evaluating oil and gas opportunities worldwide. A geophysicist by background, he is responsible for the technical assurance of the Nautilus Training Alliance (NTA) and in-house training activities in North America and EAME, as well as business development. Steve works closely with clients to understand their training needs and designs training solutions that support the needs of their business.
Henk Jaap Kloosterman
Head of Strategic Accounts
Henk Jaap joined the RPS Energy Training team in September 2021 as the Head of Strategic Accounts. A petroleum engineer with a geoscience background, he has over 30 years of technical and leadership experience in both Exploration and Development, with the last 8 years working in the Learning and Development environment. With a passion for implementing innovative learning approaches, he is involved in driving the RPS Energy Training diversification strategy as we navigate towards developing and delivering training solutions for Energy Transition and Renewables.
Marion Stone
Operations and Client Relations Manager (EAME)
Marion has over nine years of experience in the energy training sector with a broad knowledge and understanding across professional training, learning & development, and travel & logistics. She is responsible for overseeing operational efficiency, skills management, and the successful delivery of training to our clients. Marion also serves as a liaison with our EAME clients and customers providing guidance and advice, ensuring all of the customer's needs are being met.
Lamara Brown-Lattimore
Operations and Client Relations Manager (NAm)
Lamara has 18 years in the training business. She has an undergraduate degree in Communications with a Masters in Business Administration. Based out of Houston, Lamara leads the NAm Operations team.
Andrea Hansen
Technical Delivery Manager and Field Safety Lead (EAME)
Andrea has over 13 years of experience in energy training and advisory services. A petroleum geoscientist by background, Andrea leads the Technical team, with a focus on the delivery of the technical content for training courses and programs. She also works to ensure our field training courses are delivered safely and effectively.
Daniel Paez
Technical Delivery Manager and Field Safety Lead (NAm)
Daniel is responsible for the maintenance and delivery of the technical content of Nautilus Training Alliance (NTA) and Stand-alone In-house & Advisory (SIA) training activities. He also has a lead role in the management and application of the Training group’s Field Safety protocols (HSSE) for all NTA and SIA field courses and ensures they remain compliant with RPS Energy Segment’s HSSEQ system.
Fiona Blakeway
Global Programme and Projects Manager
Fiona joined RPS in 2010 and for the last eight years been based within Programme Management for the Training team. Responsible for the scheduling of the annual Nautilus Training Alliance (NTA) programme as well as agreeing bespoke in-house training for our Energy clients worldwide. She is based out of the Woking UK office.
Tomos Davies
Learning Technology Manager
A geoscientist by background, Tomos leads the development of the global technology strategy for RPS Energy Training. Combining his specialisation in innovation and technology with strategic problem solving for the energy sector, Tomos has worked in North America and Europe where he is now based. Tomos is a founding member of the Energy Transition CMT where he plays a key role in supporting collaboration between industry and academia shifting to a carbon neutral economy.
Emma Vaks
Communications Manager
With over 15 years of experience in the energy training sector, Emma has previously been involved in the management, coordination, and delivery of training programs and courses. Currently, as Communications Manager, she plays a key role in overseeing and managing all content of external communications for the Nautilus Training Alliance (NTA), Stand-alone In-house & Advisory (SIA) training activities, and Strategic Initiatives in EAME, North America, and AAP.
Sverre Jaasund
Business Development Lead (Norway)
Sverre has 46 years oil & gas industry experience. He has a broad knowledge within seismic and geophysics. Beyond seismic & geophysics, Sverre has had many other roles including project management, service manager, staff consultancy manager, account manager, business manager of a multi-national training organisation, auditing and project director for sharing Norway's oil & gas experiences with new countries in oil and gas.
Harrell Booker
Director of Business Development
Harrell has over 30 years of experience, 14 of these have been with RPS in sales and marketing in the energy industry. He is responsible for training sales in North America. Harrell also works with Directors in other revenue streams in resourcing, surface & subsurface studies, seismic services, well operations, HSE, reserves certification, and OilMAP software built with RPS environmental team.
Pete Smith
Principal Advisor - Technical and Engineering - Training
Larry Little
Engineering Associate
Andy Beech