Halliburton (India) chief leaves under a cloud
Halliburton's India chief Kamal Arafeh, described as one of the company's most successful country managers, is expected to leave by the end of this month (August) amid rumours he was fired.
Well-placed sources tell this report Arafeh, who spent three years in India, will be replaced by Scott Cooper, a senior regional manager (completions) based in Dubai. Unconfirmed reports say Arafeh was asked to leave because of ethical violations during his watch.
In June 2018 for example ONGC banned Halliburton from all drillbit tenders until June 24, 2021 after finding it guilty of violating the Integrity Pact while bidding for a tender in 2015. Also under scrutiny is a $224m contract for integrated services at ONGC's deepwater development project on the east coast, won by Halliburton in 2016.
A Halliburton source dismisses rumours he was asked to leave. "I don't think it's true," he says.
"The announcement (that he will leave) happened at the beginning of the month. If he was fired, he wouldn't have served a month's notice." Under Arafeh's leadership, Halliburton (India) has won contracts worth more than $500m.
Attempts to contact Arafeh were unsuccessful.