KHALID M. HASSANALI
Vice President, Planning and Technology, PETROTRIN

Mr. Khalid M. Hassanali has over 35 years of experience in numerous positions in the local energy and industrial development sector.

He graduated with a BSc. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the West Indies in 1974 and went on to attain a Diploma in Engineering from Queen Mary College and an MSc. at the Distinction level in Systems Planning and Optimisation from the University of London in 1975. During his professional life, Mr. Hassanali also earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) Degree from the University of London in 1994.

In December 1975, Mr. Hassanali joined a Petrotrin predecessor company, Trinidad and Tobago Petroleum Company (Trintopec) as a trainee engineer. Over the years, he expanded his expertise and held several key positions within the organization, serving on secondment to Trinmar Ltd, the National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago and EvolvingTecKnologies and Enterprise Development Co. Ltd (eTecK) . Some key positions held at Petrotrin include Production Superintendent Marine; Senior Projects Engineer, Chief Engineer Trinmar; Manager Strategic Planning; Corporate Support Administrator; Corporate Planning Manager; Vice President Corporate Administrative Services; Vice President, Planning and Technology, and Acting CEO on numerous occasions.

A former First Vice President of the South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Mr. Hassanali has served as a member of the Board of Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Ltd (PLIPDECO), Metal Industries Company Ltd. (MIC), NIHERST and ANSA McAL Chemicals Ltd. He is also a previous Member of the National Insurance Appeals Tribunal and Boards of various Charitable Organizations. In October 2003, Mr. Hassanali joined the Management of eTecK as a Vice President/General Manager and was later appointed President/CEO during the period 2005 to 2008.

He was in 2000 appointed part-time a member of the Telecommunications Advisory Team which went on to create the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT). He was initially appointed a member of the Board of TATT and went on to become Chairman of the Board. He was also Chairman of Vanguard Hotels Limited and Chairman of the e-Government Task Force which completed a framework development plan based on the successful Singapore model.

As Chairman of TATT, he spearheaded the liberisation of the local telecommunications environment to one that would be globally cost competitive with the availability of state-of-the art services.

Having worked for the past thirty-five (35) years in some twenty-five (25) positions of increasing responsibility in both Energy and non-Energy operations, Mr. Hassanali has developed experience and competence in Leadership, General Management, a proficiency in Cost & Efficiency Improvement, Business Development, Corporate Planning, Petroleum Production Operations, Project Management, Collective Bargaining & Industrial Relations, International Marketing, Information Technology, Telecommunications, Negotiations and Mediation.

As Vice President Planning and Technology he is presently responsible for the Strategy and Business Development, Centralized Engineering, Major Projects Management and ICT at Petrotrin.
 

Michael P.A Charles Bsc. Mech Eng, Reg Eng, PMP

Michael graduated from Southampton Technical College, England with an Ordinary National Diploma in General Engineering in 1970 and a Bsc. degree In Mechanical Engineering from the University of Surrey, Guildford, England in 1973.

He has over thirty eight years experience in the Energy sector both nationally and internationally having worked as an Engineer in the energy Industry both onshore and offshore and has extensive experience working in oil refineries and process Plants. Michael has also held senior positions in the local mechanical contracting industry as Vice President of Projects and Chief Operating Officer.

Michael is a founding member of the Project Management Institute Southern Caribbean Chapter, and has previously held the position of President of the Board of Directors. He currently holds the position on the Board of Directors as Immediate Past President.

He is a registered Engineer with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago and a Certified Project Management Professional, PMP, and is a certified trainer at the Arthur Lok Jack Institute of Business/PM College Master’s Certificate program in Project Management.

He currently manages his own project management consultancy and facilitates training in the practical application of Project Management for all disciplines and has presented several technical papers in Trinidad and the Caribbean on the practical aspects of managing projects.

Jearlean John, Chairman - UDECOTT