Dr. Xingjin Wang
Executive Chair
Dr Xingjin Wang is co-founder of Denison. He has extensive experience in developing and implementing business strategy to create and maximise value in the Queensland Australia and international oil, gas and carbon sequestration. Xingjin has held a number of management roles in various energy firms, like Arrow Energy, Mosaic Oil and Pilot Energy. Xingjin holds a PhD degree in Applied Geology from the University of New South Wales. He was awarded the distinction of Honorary Professor from the University of Queensland. Xingjin is VP of the SPE NSW/ACT section. He is also an active member of PESA and AAPG. He has published numerous papers on CSG and CCS.
Mr. Zhujun Wang
Managing Director
Zhujun Wang has over 35 years of global experience in the oil and gas industry, spanning regions such as China, North America, South America and Africa. He has driven groundbreaking achievements as an executive at Great Wall Drilling Engineering Services Company – an oil and gas professional services company, in particular, spearheading projects within the Ordos Basin and Sichuan Basin in China, overseeing the successful construction of gas fields, and contributing to the commercialisation of tight gas and shale gas. Additionally, he was instrumental in establishing one of the earliest commercial Coal Seam Gas (CSG) fields – the Fuxin CSG Field in China, achieving record-breaking gas rates, with a vertical well yielding 1500 m³/day.
Zhujun holds registered patents in drilling and gas production enhancement technologies, Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in mechanical engineering from Dalian University of Technology. As an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), he is dedicated to sharing insights and enriching our industry.
Benson Wong
Executive Director
Benson Wong has extensive experience in a diverse range of leadership roles including senior management roles in HKEX listed companies and Executive Directorship roles in ASX and SGX listed companies. He has key skills, in-depth knowledge and experience in the oil and gas industry spanning the financial, commercial, mergers and acquisitions and strategy development sectors. Prior to Denison, he was the CFO of Pilot Energy (ASX:PGY) and the Executive Director of Orient Energy which owns and operates oil and gas projects in the Perth Basin, WA and the Surat Basin, QLD. Through day to day leadership and strategic agility Benson has successfully led and completed several capital raisings for Australian oil and gas companies including Denison. Benson holds a Master of Commerce degree from University of New South Wales and is a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia.
Leanne Heywood
Non-Executive Director
Leanne Heywood is an experienced non-executive director and committee chair with broad general management experience gained through an international career in the mining sector, including 10 years with the Rio Tinto Copper Group. Her experience includes strategic marketing, business finance and compliance and she has led organizational restructures, mergers, acquisitions and disposals at both the executive and board level. Additionally, she has significant stakeholder relationship management (including governments and investment partners) and leadership expertise in China, Japan, Mongolia, Singapore, and South America. In addition to Denison Gas Limited, Leanne currently serves as a non-executive director for Arcadium Lithium (NYSE:LTHM), Snowy Hydro Limited, Metals Acquisition Limited (NYSE:MTAL ASX:MAC) and Midway Limited (ASX: MWY). She is also a graduate member of the Council of Charles Sturt University.Mrs Heywood holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), an Executive MBA (Melbourne Business School) and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and CPA Australia (FCPA).
Mr. Tim Petersen
Chief Operating Officer
Tim Petersen is an experienced oil and gas professional specialising in asset and engineering management, project management, oil and gas operations and facilities/process engineering. He has over 30 years’ work experience in operations in the Surat and Bowen Basins, working for AGL, Mosaic Oil, Kinhill/Brown and Root and Bridge Oil. During 11 years at Mosaic Oil, he was Production Manager and Acting CEO, and was a key part of the team that acquired the Silver Springs Surat Basin assets and returned them to profitability. After AGL acquired the assets, he remained as Asset Manager and then moved to Head of Engineering (Upstream Gas) where he worked on conventional and CSG assets and projects.
Ms. Lucy Snelling
Head of Commercial
Lucy Snelling is a senior executive with over 30 years in the Australian energy and infrastructure sectors. She holds specialist legal and commercial expertise, governance and risk management skills and extensive experience in stakeholder management across private and public sectors. She was a partner in a city legal practice, an executive in the Queensland Government, and has held senior commercial roles (including founding CEO) in upstream gas exploration and development companies, including at AGL, State Gas, and most recently PZE Limited. Lucy has also held a number of Board and governance roles, including at the Cross River Rail Development Authority, Queensland Resources Council, and low emissions pioneer ZeroGen Pty Ltd.
Mr. Chris Holmes
Subsurface Manager
Chris Holmes is a petroleum geologist with extensive experience in Australia’s major central and east coast basins. Chris worked for AGL for 13 years and was one of the founding members of the Upstream Gas group. Here he participated in and led teams responsible for major reserves growth and successful exploration and development campaigns targeting oil, gas and CSG primarily in the Cooper, Surat-Bowen and Sydney Basins. He was also the technical lead in many new venture evaluations and several asset and company acquisitions. Prior to his time with AGL, Chris worked as a geologist at Sydney Gas Ltd and as a contract field geologist in the Bowen Basin CSG fields.
Ms. Georgina Cowdroy
General Counsel
Georgina has over 25 years’ experience as a lawyer in the energy and resources sector. Georgina is experienced in mergers and acquisitions, joint venture and farm-in agreements, financing, gas sales, transportation and processing agreements, corporate governance and disputes management. Georgina was a Senior Associate at Allens for almost 11 years and prior to this, Georgina worked for Herbert Smith Freehills in Singapore and Jakarta.
Georgina is actively involved with resources industry bodies and advises the Directors and business on contractual, JV, regulatory, risk and compliance and commercial matters. Georgina holds a BA/LLB (ANU), Master of Commerce(USyd), Grad Dip in Legal Practice (NSW), Grad Dip in Corporate Governance (GIA), and is a Member of the NSW Law Society and an Associate of the Governance Institute of Australia.
Ms. Veronique Morgan-Smith, FGIA
Company Secretary, Governance and Compliance Officer
Véronique Morgan-Smith has 25 years global experience as a lawyer specialising in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, joint-ventures and corporate governance at major global law firms and as in-house corporate counsel, encompassing a wide range of jurisdictions and clients covering exploration/mining companies, construction, transport, automotive, tech and energy. Combining her skills as legal adviser and company secretary, she has advised a number of companies from start-up, through to their IPO on the ASX and subsequent growth as listed companies, on capital raisings, compliance and corporate governance. At Denison, Veronique advises the Board and promotes the culture of compliance and risk management throughout the company. LLB Hons (UK), LLM (Fr), CAPA (Fr), Law Dip (Aus), Member of NSW Law Society, Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.