Our People at Merlin - We're More Than Just A team

John is a specialist in entrepreneurship and growth and brings close to 30 years of personal and professional experience working with the leaders of growth companies to his roles as Non-Executive Chair in growing businesses. He is a regional Chair of the Institute of Directors and a member of Chapter Zero, the Directors’ Climate Forum, which is helping business leaders consider climate change in board decision-making.

Ron leads the team at Merlin having joined in 2019 as part of the business’s transition into employee ownership. Ron has senior level experience in business leadership, operations, and commercial management within a number of diverse organisations. He joined Merlin following a 10-year stint as Managing Director of Flexitricity Limited, a leading electricity system balancing and power markets trading company.

Ron’s role is about setting the strategy and creating the right environment within the business to foster growth through innovation, service development, and seamless delivery.

Stewart joined Merlin in 2018, returning to Perthshire after a 14-year foreign odyssey. He has been involved in drilling since 1998, joining BJ Services as a trainee engineer after graduation. He became a Drilling Engineer in 2002, ending up as the Group Drilling Manager for one of Europe’s leading E&P company’s before joining Merlin.

Stewart has drilled extended reach and complex wells in challenging environments all over the world. Joining Merlin as a Senior Drilling Engineer in 2018, he took over responsibility for Merlin’s business development and marketing activity in 2019.

Over the past 12 years Colin has worked with more than fifty UK based SME’s of all different sizes, in all different sectors. In every single case he has been able to increase their efficiency and profitability.

Ron leads the team at Merlin having joined in 2019 as part of the business’s transition into employee ownership. Ron has senior level experience in business leadership, operations, and commercial management within a number of diverse organisations. He joined Merlin following a 10-year stint as Managing Director of Flexitricity Limited, a leading electricity system balancing and power markets trading company.

Ron’s role is about setting the strategy and creating the right environment within the business to foster growth through innovation, service development, and seamless delivery.

Iain joined Merlin in 2016 and lives in Perthshire, Scotland. A Chartered Accountant with 20+ years industry experience.

Iain is responsible for finance and administration at Merlin, with a focus on implementing effective contracts with clients based in diverse geographies.

Neil joined Merlin in 2013 after working on ERD projects as a drilling engineer and team lead for ExxonMobil in the UK, USA and Malaysia. Neil started in the oil and gas industry working offshore delivering directional drilling services and in an earlier incarnation he led soldiers on operations as an officer serving with the British Army.

Neil’s primary focus with Merlin is overseeing the delivery of MPD and ERD drilling engineering, training and operations support services as well as service and new product development.

Stewart joined Merlin in 2018, returning to Perthshire after a 14-year foreign odyssey. He has been involved in drilling since 1998, joining BJ Services as a trainee engineer after graduation. He became a Drilling Engineer in 2002, ending up as the Group Drilling Manager for one of Europe’s leading E&P company’s before joining Merlin.

Stewart has drilled extended reach and complex wells in challenging environments all over the world. Joining Merlin as a Senior Drilling Engineer in 2018, he took over responsibility for Merlin’s business development and marketing activity in 2019.

After 20 years in directional services (MWD Engineer, DD, Drilling Engineer, Drilling Services Manager) across a wide range of locations and environments, along with an MSc in Drilling & Well Engineering, Ali joined Merlin in February 2018 as a Senior Drilling Engineer in Perth, Scotland.

As Engineering Manager, Ali carries out operations management and technical oversight across Merlin’s four service lines as well as providing instruction on some of the ERD and complex wells courses.

Al joined Merlin in 2014 after working as a Directional Driller and has 24 years’ experience within the oil industry. He is currently living in Southwest France.

From the outset with Merlin Al has used his skillset and experience to provide technical and practical solutions to drilling problems as an onsite ERD Advisor. He also provides both rig and office-based training and coaching in ERD.

33 years’ experience in the O&G industry in numerous drilling operations & senior engineering positions all around the world. Iain joined Merlin in 2013 as Engineering Manager, before transferring home to Australia in 2016. He delivers the full spectrum of Merlin’s services – Training, ERD Engineering and Rig Site Supervision, along with being the point of contact for Merlin in the Australasian region.

Michal joined Merlin in 2019 and is based in Cracow, Poland. He has been a Drilling Engineer for 13 years, having been with Supermajors, service providers and small independent operators.

Since joining Merlin, he has co-developed our TDH software and successfully rolled it out into the market. Michal’s diverse experience and out of the box thinking is an asset to our business.

Travis joined Merlin in 2018 and is a Canadian based in Edinburgh with over 20 years of oilfield experience.

Since joining Merlin, he has provided training (both classroom and rig-site), office based engineering support and rig-site operations support.

Tony joined Merlin in 2013 and is based in Edinburgh with over 25 years of oilfield experience.

Since joining he has worked on projects in the UK, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Azerbaijan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kenya and Australia. Work has included both rigsite support and client office-based support.

Santi is a Colombian engineer who joined Merlin in 2019 after completing his MSc in Drilling and Well Engineering in RGU Aberdeen.

With more than a decade of experience in drilling and completions, Santi had helped to develop business for Merlin in South America and collaborated in multiple projects for clients around the world, as well as leading the development of the complex drilling training course in Spanish, where He is one of the trainers.

Santi enjoy the football, biking, and the Colombian music, where his bigger passion for the accordion came from.

Matias joined Merlin in 2021, he has been involved in the drilling industry since 2012, completing a petroleum bachelor’s degree in his native Mexico. He started his career decommissioning a jack-up rig and went on to pursue his dream to become a petroleum engineer. He worked for a drilling contractor before leaving Mexico in 2018

In 2018 Matias achieved a scholarship sponsored by the Mexican government to study his MSc in Drilling and Well Engineering at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. He is also the engineering talent behind Steel Space Casing Drilling, a start-up company based in Scotland that developed the world first single run, downhole powered, casing drilling tool.

Jill has lived and worked in and around Edinburgh for 34 years, and in joining Merlin in the spring of 2022 brings experience gained across the finance, manufacturing and energy sectors.

Jill has a zeal to enhance and accelerate the business development pathway by the deployment of software, the digitalisation of current processes, the implementation of best practice, and the promotion of Merlin’s services and brand values.

Luis joined Merlin in 2020 and is based in Houston, TX with 23 years of Oil & Gas drilling experience, specialized in high angle & complex well drilling optimization.

Since joining he has helped develop Merlin’s business grow in the Western Hemisphere whilst working closely with the operations & management team on projects in the Americas.

Luis regularly uses his drilling engineering and training skills to deliver engineering studies, training and field support that enhances the customer experience.

Pam joined Merlin in 2014 as Training Manager with 20 years’ previous experience in customer facing roles in the Electricity Supply Industry.

Since joining Merlin Pam has helped to develop the Training service working closely with the Senior Management Team to develop processes, increase sales and profitability. Pam ensures that Merlin’s clients customer journey always exceeds expectations.

Paul joined Merlin in July 2019, with 10 years of design and marketing experience he is based in Perthshire, Scotland near Merlin HQ.

Kirstene joined Merlin in 2017 and is based in Perthshire, Scotland with over 20 years of accounting and administration experience. Kirstene is currently the Employee Trustee for The Merlin ERD Employee Ownership Trust.

Since joining she has improved our invoicing process, streamlined our payroll and gone 100% paperless. She works alongside the Commercial Director to maintain cashflow and ensure monthly financials are delivered efficiently.

David is focused on accounts administration, along with financial and commercial analysis. He works with the Commercial team to help efficiently deliver monthly accounts, alongside other financial and administrative tasks.

My ambition with Merlin is to work with the Commercial team to help with streamlining commercial and financial processes, to allow the business to grow and cope with the extra strain that comes with that.

Claire joined Merlin as Training Administrator in 2018 and then moved to the role of Operations Coordinator in 2020. Prior to joining Merlin Claire worked in retail management where she was involved in customer service, sales and recruitment.

She has been involved in planning a large number of training courses and managing logistics for personnel globally.

Craig joined Merlin in 2011 fresh from college for work experience before starting full time in 2012. He has been involved in an array of large ICT & digital projects alongside IT support for office & offshore personnel.