Executive Leadership Team
Sapper's leadership team combines years of experience across the globe in all phases of oil and gas planning and operations.
Leadership | Setting & Implementing Strategy | Business Development
Continuous Improvement | Risk Management | Operational Excellence | Teamwork
Kenneth Sax - President & CEO
Ken brings over 30 years of operational and leadership experience. He has successfully set strategic direction and run several companies as President and CEO while also serving as a board member. Beyond his deep operational background, Ken has developed trusted relationships and extensive networks over his career. He is a results-driven proven leader who has an excellent track record of building teams, turning around underperforming assets, and bringing value to existing assets. His experience spans from onshore to shallow water jack ups to deep water and through the full lifecycle; exploration to mature fields and abandonment.
As Head of US Upstream for Pacific Energy, Ken led the company's entry into the US, was responsible for overseeing operations of the assets. In addition, he secured agreements for associated US based LNG supply contracts and JV non-op partner capital.
Before joining Pacific Energy, Ken was CEO and Board member of a private equity backed US unconventional onshore company. He set a new direction and culture at the company doubling production, reducing drilling times by 40%, tripling EBITDA, and proving up new reserves while paying down debt and reducing costs. He also oversaw a BD effort to increase acreage and implemented new midstream and market access for the company prior to monetization.
Ken started his career and spent 21 years with BP progressing through roles of increasing responsibility, including leadership roles in BP’s Executive Center and Central Function. He led the implementation of the Deep-Water Horizon Recommendations throughout the organization and oversaw operations around the world, to include extensive experience in US onshore unconventional assets, shelf and deep water, UK, Russia, and Abu Dhabi seconded into ADNOC.
Prior to the Oil and Gas industry, Ken served as an officer in the US Army reaching the rank of Captain. He has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from University of Houston and a Business degree from University of Arizona.
Robert Lestz - EVP Technology & COO
Robet's career spans over 35 years in the oil and gas industry. He has headed technology for both public and private companies and is a recognized industry expert in completion design, well stimulation, artificial lift and reservoir characteristics among other interests. Robert is a SPE Distinguished Lecturer presenting in 6 countries to 12 chapters and has multiple awards, publications and patents.
Robert started his career with Conoco as a production engineer then spent over 20 years with Chevron rising up to oversee Chevron's global well stimulation and artificial lift operations. It was during this time that he co-invented and patented the use of LPG as a fracture fluid. He also represented Chevron on advisory boards for new technology for coiled tubing.
Robert went on to head up Chevron's Unconventional Resources worldwide at Chevron Energy Technology Co. where he organized and led a multi-disciplinary team of 60+ technical individuals responsible for developing and managing Chevron's R&D strategy and portfolio for oil/gas shales, tight oil and gas, coal bed methane, geothermal and unconventional resources.
After leaving Chevron, Robert would later become Chief Technology officer at GasFrac and eCorp International prior to becoming President at Greyhorse Engineering and Technology.
More recently, Robert served as EVP Technology and Operations for a South Texas private equity backed gas company overseeing drilling, completions, production operations and subsurface department prior to monetization of the asset and then went on to lead as Head of Technology and Operations at Pacific Energy.
Robert holds a Petroleum Engineering degree from the University of Texas and is a professional member and sits on advisory boards of several organizations.
EVP Business Development & Corporate Relations