Mr Knox, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Santos, succeeds Mr Eric Streitberg, Executive Director of Buru Energy.

Mr Knox said: “Australia is playing host to enormous investments and opportunities and it is very exciting to be in a position to help maximise the benefit generated by our diverse sector.

“The oil and gas industry can underpin major growth in national wealth, employment, emissions abatement and regional development. But the industry could also fall victim to its own success. Challenges are posed by increasing project costs, labour availability and the unpredictable nature of a minority Federal Government. Increasing public discussion regarding the industry’s activities provides APPEA an opportunity and an obligation to better inform that debate.

“I look forward to building on the significant work done by Eric Streitberg over the past three years. I’m sure all APPEA members join me in thanking Eric for his outstanding contribution.”

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Members of the APPEA Board for 2011-12 are:

Chairman: Mr D Knox, Santos Limited Vice Chairman: Mr R Cole, Woodside Energy Limited Directors: Mr J Dashwood, ExxonMobil Australia; Mr A Baldassarre, ENI Australia, East Timor & PNG; Dr P Home, BP Developments Australia; Mr C Beckett, Chevron Australia; Mr E Streitberg, Buru Energy; Dr A Joy, Apache Energy; Mr R Antrobus, ConocoPhillips Australia; Mr M Kelly, BHPB Petroleum – Australia, BHP Billiton Limited; Mr G King, Origin Energy; Mr M Carey, Shell Development (Australia); Mr M Sangster, Total E&P Australia; Mr P Stickland, MEO Australia; Mr B Lake, Vermilion Oil and Gas Australia; Mr G Moseby, Beach Energy.