Oil & Gas UK is pleased to announce that James Naughtie, renowned BBC Radio presenter, will host the industry’s annual awards event.
Mr Naughtie is a presenter of the Today programme, and has written and presented the recently-aired series ‘Oil: A Crude History of Britain’.
Deirdre Michie, Oil & Gas UK’s chief executive added:
“We’re delighted that James has agreed to host our Awards this year. As an influential voice in the media with a keen interest in and knowledge of this sector, he is highly respected across our industry.
“I look forward to James taking to the stage next Thursday (5 November) in Aberdeen, to help us celebrate our achievements in what continues to be an incredibly challenging business environment for the offshore oil and gas industry.”
Mr Naughtie has been a presenter of the Today programme since February 1994. He joined the programme from The World at One, where he succeeded Sir Robin Day as presenter in 1988 after a career in newspapers, much of it as a political correspondent at Westminster.
As well as his work for Today - he has presented the programme from around the world over the last two decades – he has written and presented many documentaries on Radio 4 including the recently-aired ‘Oil: A Crude History of Britain’, and prize-winning series including The Making of Music, the story of classical music, and New Elizabethans, profiling 60 of the most influential figures in Britain over the first 60 years of the Queen's reign.
He has anchored every election results programme for BBC Radio since 1997 and a wide range of important events for both radio and television - from presidential inaugurations and Papal installations to D-Day commemorations and Royal funerals and presented every edition of Radio 4's monthly Bookclub since it began in 1998.
Since 2008 he has also been chancellor of the University of Stirling.
The Oil & Gas UK Awards, sponsored by Shell UK, will take place at the annual awards ceremony at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Thursday 5 November in front of hundreds of guests from throughout the oil and gas industry.
In its ninth year, the Awards will also be looking to the future of the industry, inviting selected previous winners of the Graduate of the Year and Apprentice of the Year awards to the event to share their experience and grow their networks.
Deirdre Michie commented:
“Securing the future success of our industry will require a step up in the way we communicate and cooperate and will need a new way of approaching the challenges we face. There has never been a more important time to support our younger colleagues to remain confident in the diverse opportunities and careers that this industry can and will continue to offer.
“Yes - times are very tough, but with billions of barrels of oil and gas still to recover there’s much to play for. It’s vital we encourage and listen to fresher perspectives from the next generation of talent to help us move this industry forward.
For 2015, Oil & Gas UK has also introduced a new category. In recognition of the industry’s current drive for new, more efficient ways of working, the Oil and Gas Authority MER UK Award will recognise those companies whose co-operative approach and positive behaviours have helped to maximise the economic recovery of oil and gas from the UKCS.
The Oil & Gas UK Awards 2015 will take place on the evening of Thursday 5 November at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. To book your place, please click here.