NESG appoints Chevron Nigeria/Mid-Africa chief Jim Swartz as board director

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has appointed the Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria/Mid-Africa, Mr Jim Swartz, as a Director on its Board.

The Group said the appointment was part of its efforts to strengthen its leadership with accomplished professionals whose expertise and strategic perspectives would support its mission of promoting sustainable economic development, inclusive growth and private sector-driven transformation in Nigeria.

Swartz, who assumed his current position in 2024 and is based in Lagos, provides executive leadership for Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) and its affiliates across Nigeria and the wider Mid-Africa region, including Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Benin, Togo and Ghana.

In his current role, he oversees areas including asset strategy and performance, operational execution, stakeholder engagement, government relations and operational excellence across multiple geographies.

According to the NESG, Swartz brings more than 36 years of experience with Chevron, having held various technical, operational and executive leadership positions in the United States and Africa, including Louisiana, Angola, California and Texas.

His experience spans upstream operations, asset development, capital projects, commercial strategy and organisational leadership.

Before becoming Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria/Mid-Africa, Swartz served as Vice President, Capital Projects, at the Chevron Technical Center in Houston, where he was responsible for developing technical and organisational capabilities to support the company’s global project portfolio.

He also previously served as Director for Chevron’s Deepwater Asset Class and as General Manager of Asset Development for the Gulf of America Business Unit.

Swartz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology with Distinction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, obtained in 1988, and a Master of Science in Geology from the University of Oklahoma, obtained in 1990.

ALSO READ: Sanwo-Olu gifts LASU’s two best graduating students N20m each

The NESG said his appointment would bring extensive expertise in executive leadership, upstream and midstream operations, stakeholder engagement, commercial strategy, asset development and joint venture governance to the Board.

It added that his experience managing complex energy operations across Nigeria and the wider Mid-Africa region would provide valuable perspectives to the Group’s policy dialogue, particularly on energy, investment, infrastructure, productivity, competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.

The Group expressed confidence that Swartz’s international and regional experience, coupled with his understanding of Nigeria’s energy sector and investment landscape, would strengthen its efforts to promote evidence-based policy advocacy and advance reforms aimed at transforming the Nigerian economy.