Our Team
Chairman
James C. Passin
Mr. James Passin is a veteran fund manager and venture capital investor with over two decades of experience financing and developing frontier-stage and early-stage companies.
A former hedge fund and private equity portfolio manager at Firebird Management LLC in New York City, he has directed and managed equity and debt portfolios exceeding US$1 billion, with particular emphasis on natural resources and life sciences. His investment expertise includes over US$300 million in oil and gas exploration and development, as well as significant capital deployment into next-generation biotechnology companies.
James was an early financier of several prominent publicly listed oil & gas companies including Heritage Oil, Africa Oil, Ukrnafta, and Nelson Resources. In recent years, he has extended his capital markets proficiency into biotechnology, and is currently serving as the CEO of BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV), a Canadian listed biotechnology firm that is focused on antigen presentation technologies for oncology, infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders.
Mr. Passin holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Classical Literature from St. John’s College (Annapolis, Maryland) and is a graduate of the Listed Company Director Program at Singapore Institute of Directors. He also holds a Certificate in Corporate Governance from the Mongolian Corporate Governance Institute. James is a Chartered Market Technician (CMT) and member of CMT Association.
With a reputation for identifying transformative opportunities in both emerging markets and disruptive technologies, Mr. Passin brings a rare combination of philosophical depth, governance discipline, and capital markets acumen to every venture that he leads.
Managing Director
Michael C. P. Rego
Mr. Michael Rego is a distinguished geoscience executive with nearly four decades of international experience in oil and gas exploration and development. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Geology from University College Swansea and is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London. He is also a member of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain and previously served on the committee of the City of London Geoscience Forum. Widely recognized as a “hands-on” hydrocarbon finder, Michael has built a career identifying and developing frontier assets in geologically complex and politically sensitive regions.
He began his career at BP, where he held roles across London, Cairo, and San Francisco, contributing to exploration programs in West Africa, the Gulf of Suez, and California. He later joined LASMO, where he worked on projects in West Africa, Iraq, Iran, and Russia. In the mid-1990s, Michael played a pivotal role at the White Nights Joint Venture in West Siberia, where he led stratigraphic remapping and introduced hydrofracking strategies that doubled production at legacy Soviet-era oil fields.
From 1998 to 2014, Michael served as Exploration Director and Executive Board Member of Aminex PLC, an LSE-listed company. There, he led the company’s technical pivot to East Africa, culminating in the 3.2 Tcf Ntorya gas discovery in Tanzania; a project he personally originated, licensed, and advanced against industry scepticism. He also oversaw exploration programs in Northeast Asia and played a central role in strategic farm-outs and corporate development. Subsequent to his tenure at Aminex, he joined PICO International Petroleum (Cheiron Energy) as Exploration Manager, where he oversaw teams working in Egypt, Romania, and Mexico. Since 2017, he has served as Managing Director of Septima Energy, focusing on high-impact upstream opportunities across East Africa and the Middle East. Known for his technical rigor, entrepreneurial mindset, and cross-cultural leadership, Michael has built a track record of delivering results in frontier markets.
Director – Production Technology & Operations
Clifton M. Mason
Mr. Mason is a seasoned energy sector executive with over 35 years of global experience in the oil and gas industry, holding senior leadership roles at top-tier companies such as BP, Apache, and Exxon. He holds a Master of Science in Management (MBA) from Purdue University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University. Throughout his career, Mike has delivered operational excellence and strategic leadership across key geographies including the U.S., Latin America, Russia, and the Middle East.
At Apache Corporation, Mike played a pivotal role as Regional Operations Manager, where he was responsible for increasing production to 350 kboepd and managing a capital budget of US$1.35 billion. He also served as Leader of Production Technology, driving innovations in horizontal multi-frac completions and artificial lift systems that significantly improved operational efficiency. His nearly three-decade tenure at BP, included senior leadership roles such as Vice President of Base Management, where he was responsible for overseeing all of BP’s global production activities, including wellwork, waterflooding, production optimization, and risk mitigation across the company’s upstream portfolio.
Mr Mason is a registered Professional Engineer in both Alaska and Oklahoma and is widely recognized for his ability to lead high-performance teams and deliver results in technically demanding and logistically complex environments. From deep-water operations in the Gulf of Mexico to large-scale production growth in Colombia and Western Siberia, his leadership reflects a steadfast commitment to safety, innovation, and operational excellence.
Director – Finance & Strategy
Ryan M. Moynagh
Mr. Moynagh is an accomplished investment banking executive with over two decades of experience advising corporations, national oil companies, and sovereign entities on capital markets, M&A, and strategic finance. He is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Pimlico Partners, a boutique advisory firm with a global footprint. Ryan holds an Executive MBA from Wharton Business School, Strategic Financial Leadership from Stanford, and a First Class Honours LLB in Law & Accounting from Queen’s University.
Throughout his career, Ryan has led intricate transactions across the energy sector, including IPOs, cross-border M&A, divestitures, and financings. At Merrill Lynch, he played key advisory roles in landmark IPOs such as PetroChina, Sinopec, and CNOOC, and advised on mega-mergers involving BP, Total, and Repsol. He later founded Equatorial Partners, where he advised independent and national oil companies on strategic corporate finance across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. As CFO and Co-Founder of Great Bear Petroleum, he was instrumental in building Alaska’s largest privately held exploration company, overseeing all aspects of financial management and strategic development.
Mr. Moynagh is a CFA charter-holder and has additional certifications as Chartered Market Technician and Licensed International Financial Analyst. His work has taken him from Wall Street to Southeast Asia and the Arctic Circle, advising CEOs, boards, and governments on high-impact financial decisions. He is known for his cross-cultural agility, deep sector expertise, and ability to drive results in politically and operationally complex environments.
Director & Company Secretary
Venkatesan Sukumar Iyer
Mr Iyer is the Founder & Director of Global 9 Resources Pte Ltd, a premier corporate services provider in Singapore during the past 23 years.
His professional experience encompasses auditing, international taxation, and consultancy.
Previously, Mr Iyer held senior financial positions at the world renown oil industry companies; Schlumberger and Kvaerner.
A fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and CPA Australia.
Fellow and Life Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore.