As I step into the role of CEO and President of GLJ, I am reflecting on my 28 years in the energy industry, and looking ahead to the opportunities and challenges that will shape GLJ’s future. My career has given me the opportunity to live and work in three countries and two provinces, while gaining firsthand exposure to energy markets around the world. Along the way, I have witnessed many of the same changes in the energy landscape that our current CEO and President, Jodi Anhorn, outlined in his recent blog post.
Jodi reflected on how Canada has developed a world-class oil and gas industry, and GLJ’s role as a trusted advisor within it. He also highlighted Western Canada as both a significant oil-producing jurisdiction and a modern technical industry with room for future growth. I share that view, especially regarding the room for future growth and the opportunities that lie ahead.
For GLJ, Canada is home, and the Canadian energy industry remains the cornerstone of our business. We are committed to adding value to our clients through deep technical expertise as the sector continues to evolve and shape its energy future. This commitment is reflected in our recent acquisition of Petrel Robertson Consulting Ltd. (PRCL), which brings together two of Calgary’s longest-established subsurface consulting firms and strengthens our ability to meet the demands of an evolving industry.
Western Canada’s oil and gas industry has undergone significant consolidation since 2015, yet the signals pointing forward are genuinely positive. Recent commitments to Canada’s oil and gas, such as Shell’s announced acquisition of Arc Resources, demonstrate continued confidence in Canada’s energy future. Beyond the extensive resource plays that were the focus of this acquisition, Canada also has a significant volume of oil sands yet to develop, and a track record of innovation to further develop our natural resources.
This innovative spirit is reflected in the industry’s expanding expertise, including at GLJ, into areas such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), geothermal energy, lithium extraction from deep brines, helium, natural hydrogen, and in-situ extraction of uranium and other minerals.
Working across multiple countries has shaped how I see the road ahead. When I came to Canada and later joined GLJ, I was immediately struck by the depth of expertise, talent and ingenuity in the Canadian energy industry, and by the tremendous potential it holds. That potential points clearly outward: exporting Canadian expertise globally, particularly as other regions evolve from conventional oil and gas development to more complex resource plays such as tight reservoirs, heavy oil, and enhanced hydrocarbon recovery.
Canada has developed the regulatory frameworks, technologies, infrastructure, and expertise required to support these advancements. We see this in practice through Canadian-based E&P companies successfully developing projects internationally, building on their experience gained in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Through its long-standing role as a trusted advisor, GLJ is well-positioned to extend this knowledge and expertise to a global stage.
Advancing the Canadian oil and gas industry will remain at GLJ’s core. At the same time, we will continue to diversify our services to support our clients’ needs in Canada and bring that homegrown expertise globally. As we grow, GLJ will remain grounded in our core values: Excellence, Collaboration, Ownership, Innovation, and Fun. These aren’t aspirations, they describe how we work. In practice, that means taking ownership of complex technical challenges, collaborating closely with our clients at every stage, and holding ourselves to an uncompromising standard of excellence throughout. Accountability to our clients is not simply a value we talk about; it is how we have earned trust across the industry, and it will continue to define who we are.
I am honoured to step into this role and build on the solid foundation Jodi and the team at GLJ have established. Above all, I look forward to the complex challenges, the trusted partnerships, and the opportunity to bring Canadian expertise to projects that matter, both at home and around the world.
