Verma at OVL
At a time when the CVC is scrutinising public sector appointments, it’s been relatively easy to clear the way for Narendra Kumar Verma to become the next ONGC Videsh director exploration.
PETROWATCH learns ONGC’s frontier basins chief Verma, 52, received his official appointment orders for the OVL director exploration post on October 10, soon after his file was signed by India’s Appointments Committee of Cabinet. Described as “very ambitious” by colleagues, Verma defeated 14 other candidates to win the job after interviews on June 29, among them PB Pandey, group general manager at ONGC’s Baroda office.
“This post will give me a chance to work on foreign assets and serve my nation and company,” said Verma, when contacted. Verma currently looks after ONGC exploration acreage spread across seven Indian states, including acreage in the Himalaya, Ganga, Vindhya and Satpura basins.
He replaces Joeman Thomas, who retires on December 31.