Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has announced two new senior executives from global oil and gas giant Total S.A. on its board of directors, as well as the retirement of co-founder T. Boone Pickens.
Joining the board are Momar Nguer, president of Total Marketing Services S.A. (TMS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Total, and Philippe Montantême, senior vice president of strategy marketing research of TMS. Through TMS, Total purchased a 25% stake in Clean Energy in June.
“As a global energy player, Total is particularly excited by the role natural gas is playing in transportation, particularly the heavy-duty market,” notes Nguer. “Philippe and I look forward to working with our fellow Clean Energy board members and its executive team to deepen the relationship so that we can leverage the strengths of the two companies to grow the natural gas fueling market.”
Clean Energy says Pickens has notified the board that he has decided to retire as a director as part of his recent curtailment in his business activity. In turn, the board of directors has voted to designate Pickens as director emeritus, which will entitle him to attend future board meetings.
“Clean Energy is incredibly fortunate to have had the entrepreneurial leadership for the last 23 years of one of history’s great wildcatters in Boone. His vision in the establishment of and continued contribution to Clean Energy and its successes is hard to measure,” says Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy. “But as the company has moved into its own leadership position in the alternative fuel market, we will benefit greatly from the guidance and counsel of two seasoned executives of one of the world’s most visionary energy companies in Momar and Philippe.”
“There remains no greater believer in the potential of natural gas as a heavy-duty fuel than me,” says Pickens, who turned 90 earlier this year. “I’m grateful for the recognition Clean Energy has given me. This transition to director emeritus will allow me to more fully focus on recovering from some recent health setbacks. I plan on staying involved with the company. In stepping back a bit, I’m confident in the company’s great leadership and that its new partnership with Total will be pivotal to its long-term success.”
