On the announcement of his appointment as Chief Business Development Officer at Getech, we feature an interview with Max Brouwers.

Tell us about yourself, what is your background?

I grew up in and around Maastricht, in the South of The Netherlands, before studying geoscience at the University of Utrecht and obtaining my MBA at the Rotterdam School of Management. I started my career as a as a seismic interpreter in London. I’ve worked for Shell for 25 years across 3 continents, most recently as Vice President of Exploration for Europe-Russia-Caspian and Leader of Energy Transition for Global Exploration.

What brought you to Getech?

It was clear that Getech is going through an extremely exciting period of transition; the acquisition of H2 Green, the capital it recently raised for growth, and the advancement in the company’s new products are just a few of many examples highlighting as much. The Group’s reputation, its culture, and the quality of its offering made the decision to join Getech an easy one.

How do you see the company going forward?

Getech has a great opportunity to play a significant role in helping accelerate the transition to NetZero. For example, as we move toward COP26 the company has convened a hydrogen roundtable that brings together industry stakeholders with central and local government. It has also been invited to showcase its work with H2 Green at a COP26 associate event; and I believe this gives a flavour of what is to come in terms of Getech being a distinguished and respected player in the energy transition.

We are in the fortunate position that companies and governments are embracing NetZero, and this means there is a huge potential for growth in this space. This is not to say that the company’s existing products and services are not important going forward, but that the company has a great opportunity to grow in new and booming markets. This is something I’m hoping to facilitate by also heading up Getech’s new European subsidiary in what will be a key growth market.

Why has Europe got the potential to be a key growth market for Getech?

Europe is an enormous market and one where decarbonisation is being driven by finance and business initiatives, such as the European Green Deal, to support Europe becoming climate neutral by 2050. It is also a market where existing customers operate, and this should help Getech to expand there across all our focus sectors: petroleum, hydrogen, geothermal and strategic minerals.

How has the energy transition impacted you?

I’m a big believer in the importance of applying geoscience to the energy transition and that it is a fundamental part of the solution to tackle climate change. As a geoscientist, the energy transition really excites me and motivated me to focus my skills on something that is worthwhile and important.

Was it always geoscience, do you think you’d have foreseen where you are now when you started out?

That’s so hard to say, as long as I remember I’ve been fascinated by geoscience but so much has changed in the last 25 years. I don’t think hand on heart I could say I’d have predicted how the industry has evolved over this time.

What I do know is that I’m glad that I did chose geoscience, and the energy transition has only reinforced this view. I think more and more people are beginning to recognise the importance our sector in driving NetZero and it’s great to be a part of it.

Tell us about yourself, what do you like to do away from work?

Outside work I like to spend time with my wife and two children. I’m a passionate road cyclist and love riding in the mountains. I enjoy travelling and have been very fortunate to travel around the world for work. I’ve also lived and worked abroad which I’ve loved, there is nothing like working in a country to get you immersed in its culture.

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