Yujnovich elected APPEA chair

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association has announced Zoe Yunovich as the new chair while Michael Abbott has been elected vice-chair following the association’s annual meeting.

Ms Yujnovich currently chairs Shell Australia and is the first woman to chair the APPEA board.

Ms Yujnovich has a bachelor of engineering from the University of Western Australia and an MBA from the University of Utah.

Outgoing chair Bruce Lake, who served in the role for three years, congratulated Ms Yujnovich and Mr Abott.

“The role has certainly been challenging, but it has also been rewarding,” he said

“I am pleased that I will remain a member of the APPEA board. I have no doubt that Zoe and Michael will be successful in leading APPEA into the future.”

Mr Abbott is the senior vice-president corporate and legal at Woodside Energy with 25 years of legal experience.

Ms Yujnovich said she was honoured that the board had elected her as chair.

“Growth in Australia’s oil and gas industry has been an important driver in the Australian economy for decades,” she said.

“It is an honour to represent an industry that makes a huge economic contribution across the nation. Oil and gas workers are dotted across the country from the Darling Downs to Gippsland, from the Cooper Basin to the Pilbara.

“But if we are to continue to employ hard-working Australians we must attract both domestic and foreign investment – and that means the industry has to be more cost-competitive in an environment in which the oil price will remain lower for longer.”