SUDDEN PASSING OF DIRECTOR
Calgary, Alberta, February 10, 2017, Zenith Energy Ltd. ( "Zenith" or the "Company") (LSE: ZEN; TSX.V: ZEE) is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Francesco Salimbeni, non-executive Director of the Company.
Andrea Cattaneo, Zenith Energy CEO, commented:
"On behalf of Zenith and its shareholders, I would like to express our profound sympathies and condolences to Francesco's family.
Francesco was a highly valued member of the Board, specifically because of his illustrious career with Snamprogetti S.p.A and his vast high-level experience in the petroleum industry. Francesco was above all a good friend and mentor. He will be greatly missed by all of us who were fortunate enough to know and work with him.
Francesco was without equals in his passion for work. Only recently, in January 2017, he had been negotiating a significant construction contract in India. We shall all draw inspiration from his defining traits of tireless zeal and tenacity whilst working towards the achievement of the Company's operational goals.
To honour Francesco's memory, Zenith Aran will apply to the relevant authorities in Azerbaijan to rename the Zardab field, considered by some geologists a very promising field, the 'Salimbeni' field. A plaque in Francesco's memory will also be placed at the well with the most sizeable production increase following workover."
Francesco Salimbeni's Biography
Francesco Salimbeni served as non-executive Director of Zenith and was an engineer with over fifty years of experience in technical and management positions in the petroleum industry. More specifically, Francesco was an internationally recognised oil recovery specialist and had served as an advisor to the Italian Government and many private enterprises internationally on various matters including environmental responsibility, conservation, desalination and waste management.
Francesco belonged to a historically important group of oilmen that contributed to the rise of AGIP (now ENI S.p.A), the Italian state-owned oil exploration and production company. Under the leadership of Enrico Mattei, the acclaimed first CEO of AGIP in the post-war period, AGIP grew from a relatively small entity reeling from the destructive effects of war to become one of the world's largest oil majors.
Within the AGIP group, Francesco worked at Snamprogetti S.p.A, where he eventually became managing director. Snamprogetti was a leading international engineering company, specialising in the design and construction of large refineries, pipelines and other hydrocarbon industry infrastructure. As managing director, Francesco directed the negotiation and acquisition of more than fifty contracts for the construction of oil refineries globally.
Francesco later left Snamprogetti and established his own engineering company, responsible for many projects, most notable of which was the construction of one of the first underground oil refineries in history.
For further information, please contact:
José Ramón López-Portillo
Chairman of the Board
Andrea Cattaneo
CEO & President
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (587) 315-9031
Telefax: (403) 775-4474
