Viaro Energy appoints Jillian Owen as new COO

Viaro Energy announced the appointment of Jillian Owen as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective August 2025. Ms Owen succeeds Alistair Buchan, who is retiring after a distinguished career and a key role in establishing Viaro’s operational capabilities.

Ms Owen joined Viaro in March 2025 as Head of Transition to Operatorship, where she has been leading the integration of Shell and ExxonMobil’s Southern North Sea portfolio into Viaro’s existing asset base, marking Viaro’s evolution from a non-operating partner to a full upstream operator.

The appointment is a natural extension of her work in this transition, as she continues to develop a fit-for-purpose organisational structure capable of incorporating a larger workforce and meeting the demands of operatorship in line with Viaro’s strategic direction.

Ms Owen’s appointment follows the planned retirement of COO Alistair Buchan, whose leadership and focus on operational excellence have helped lay the foundation for Viaro’s future growth.

“It has been a privilege to help build Viaro’s operational foundation, and I am proud of what we have achieved,” said Mr Buchan. “As I step away, I do so with complete confidence in Jillian’s ability to lead the company forward. This transition has been carefully planned, and operational continuity is assured.”