Graeme Davies to lead UK operations amid North Sea challenges, while Scott Barr takes helm of strategically important Mexico business unit.
Harbour Energy, the London-listed independent oil and gas producer, has announced significant changes to its senior leadership, appointing Graeme Davies as the new Managing Director of its UK Business Unit, effective from 1 October 2026. Davies, currently the Executive Vice President for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), will be based in Aberdeen and report directly to Chief Operating Officer Nigel Hearne.
He succeeds Scott Barr, who will transition to the role of Managing Director for Harbour’s Mexico Business Unit, relocating to Mexico City from 1 November 2026. These appointments are aimed at ensuring strong leadership continuity and delivering value across two strategically important components of the company’s diverse global portfolio.
UK Leadership Underpins Energy Transition and Operational Excellence
Graeme Davies brings extensive experience to his new role, having previously held leadership positions in operations, asset management, and development delivery within Harbour’s legacy companies, ConocoPhillips and Chrysaor. His recent tenure as EVP of CCS saw him spearhead Harbour’s significant initiatives in this burgeoning sector.
Harbour Energy holds a leading position in Europe and the UK for CO2 storage, with net storage resources exceeding 650 million tonnes. Davies has been instrumental as Project Director for the Viking CCS project, one of the UK’s major carbon storage initiatives. The Viking project, located in the Humber region, aims to capture and store between 10 and 15 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030-2035, playing a crucial role in the UK’s net-zero ambitions and offering substantial economic growth potential.
Chief Operating Officer Nigel Hearne commented on the appointment, stating: “Graeme is a highly respected and experienced leader with a strong track record of delivery across our business. His appointment will ensure a continued focus on safe and efficient production, operational excellence, cost and capital discipline and responsible stewardship of our assets.”
The UK remains Harbour’s largest operated business unit, with the company being one of the largest producers of oil and gas in the UK North Sea, accounting for approximately 15% of the country’s domestic production.
Mexico Role Highlights International Growth Strategy
Scott Barr, an industry veteran with 25 years of experience in both onshore and offshore operations, moves to lead Harbour’s Mexico operations. His previous role saw him as Managing Director of the UK business unit, a position he took up following a company restructuring in October 2023.
The UK North Sea has presented a challenging environment for operators, with investment expected to drop significantly in 2026 to its lowest real terms level since the 1970s. Reports indicate that 2026 could mark the final year UK production surpasses 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, amid a backdrop of declining reserves, an “anti-oil and -gas regulatory system,” and an “unfavourable fiscal system,” including the Energy Profits Levy, which led Barr to cite job cuts and a review of UK operations in May 2025.
In contrast, Harbour Energy views Mexico as a region with strong growth prospects and strategic importance. The company is a leading international upstream player in Mexico, holding both operated and non-operated interests in offshore and onshore assets across the exploration, development, and production value chain.
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Notably, Harbour was appointed operator of the significant Zama oil project offshore Mexico in December 2025, alongside its role as operator of Block 30, which includes the Kan discovery. The Zama project, discovered in 2017, holds an estimated 750 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) of gross recoverable resources and is anticipated to contribute substantially to Mexico’s domestic energy supply and Harbour’s overall production. The company’s substantial 2C resource base of over 400 mmboe in Mexico’s offshore conventional fields offers significant options for reserves replacement.
Reflecting on Barr’s transition, Hearne added: “I would also like to thank Scott for his leadership of the UK business and wish him every success as he takes on this important new role in Mexico. These appointments reflect the depth of talent we have across Harbour and position both businesses strongly for the future.”
Harbour Energy’s strategic moves align with its stated vision to be a leading global independent oil and gas company, focusing on sustaining production, building a competitive portfolio, ensuring financial resilience, and rewarding shareholders. Recent half-year results for 2026 showed record production levels of 509,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and an increased full-year free cash flow outlook of $1.8 billion, driven by strategic acquisitions in the US and UK and a focus on core countries including Norway, the UK, Argentina, the US, and Mexico.
