Manuj Nikhanj
Enverus, an energy-dedicated SaaS and generative AI company, announced May 29 the promotion of Manuj Nikhanj to the position of CEO, effective July 1. Nikhanj, who served as Enverus’ president, succeeds Jeff Hughes, who will continue to support the company in the role of executive chairman.
“With global scale, a growing customer base, best-in-class technology and a culture of innovation, Enverus’ growth potential is enormous,” said Hughes. “Manuj’s partnership, along with the support of our investors Hellman & Friedman and Genstar, has been instrumental in building Enverus into the leader in the energy-focused SaaS industry. As we approach $600 million in annual recurring revenue and continue to lead technology innovation for the energy industry, we’ve entered a new phase of growth. We’re operationally and strategically solid, and now is the right time to pass the reins to Manuj, whose vision and deep industry experience will take our fantastic team to even greater heights.”
Prior to Enverus, Manuj was an original partner and co-CEO of RS Energy Group and its predecessor companies, which he helped build from a start-up independent research firm.
Robert Thaxton
U.S. Energy Development Corporation, a Fort Worth-based exploration and production (E&P) company focused on the development of energy projects throughout North America, announced April 30 that Robert Thaxton has been promoted from senior strategist to the organization’s vice president of oil and gas business operations. Thaxton now manages all interdepartmental projects and evaluates and implements various business processes designed to improve productivity and streamline operations.
“We are extremely proud to welcome Robert Thaxton to our leadership team,” said Jordan Jayson, chairman and CEO of U.S. Energy. “Over the years, Robert has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to U.S. Energy by taking on additional responsibilities and leading vital initiatives. This is a well-deserved promotion, and we look forward to seeing him thrive in this new role.”
Thaxton’s career with U.S. Energy began in 2014 as a member of the firm’s engineering department, where he gained valuable experience in oil and gas operations as well as in energy asset evaluation. In 2020, Thaxton was promoted to senior strategist, where he oversaw the company’s strategic positioning, evaluation of new business strategies, and the development of risk management initiatives designed to protect the organization’s core interests.
Jason Liu
Wood Mackenzie announced May 7 that Jason Liu had been appointed CEO. Liu replaces former CEO Mark Brinin, departed to pursue other opportunities after leading the company through its transformative carve-out.
Liu is a leader with more than 25 years of experience leading growth-oriented, private equity-backed companies in the software and data industries. He most recently served as CEO of Zywave, a prominent provider of software, data, and analytics in the insurance technology space, where his strategic vision and operational execution doubled the size of the company and substantially enhanced its market position.
“We are excited to welcome Jason to Wood Mackenzie as CEO,” said Ramzi Musallam, CEO and Managing Partner of Veritas Capital. “Jason’s prior experience and skillset make him the ideal leader for Wood Mackenzie through this next transformative period of growth. We are completely aligned in our vision for Wood Mackenzie, and look forward to working with him as he builds upon the Company’s position as the global market leader for data and analytics that enable the energy transition.”
Divyam Mandalia
BCCK, anengineering, procurement, fabrication and field construction services firm, appointed Divyam Mandalia on May 7 as director of business development-renewables. Mandalia will be based in The Woodlands, Texas, and will be responsible for managing existing and new customers while assessing opportunities for BCCK to expand its presence in the renewables market.
Fraser McDowell, director of strategy and business development, BCCK, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Divyam to BCCK. With Divyam leading our business development efforts in renewables, we are confident in our ability to seize new opportunities and further establish BCCK as a leader in this market.”
Mandalia brings over four years of experience in the renewables sector. His previous roles included managing sales and business development activities for a Houston-based organization, alongside contributing to process engineering design for both existing and new technologies. He holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.
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