Talisman Energy Inc. (TSX:TLM) has hired two top executives formerly with the TNK-BP joint venture in Russia. Paul Smith becomes executive VP of Talisman's western international operations and Richard Herbert becomes executive VP of exploration. The two are expected to join the Calgary company in late February. They replace Nigel Hares and John Hart, retiring after lengthy careers at the international oil and gas producer. Smith's most recent role was as upstream VP responsible for western Siberian operations of TNK-BP, the troubled joint venture between BP PLC and the Alfa, Access/Renova group of Russian billionaires. Herbert was executive VP for technology and a member of the management board of TNK-BP. * * * Oilsands Quest Inc. (Amex:BQI) has appointed Garth Wong as CFO effective Feb. 23. He replaces Karim Hirji, who will continue to consult to the company. Most recently, Won, a CA, was a principal and VP of Sokol Developments Inc. Headquartered in Calgary, Oilsands Quest is exploring contiguous oilsands permits and licences in Saskatchewan and Alberta. * * * Shane O'Leary is joining Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (TSX, NYSE Alternext: GTE) as COO effective March 2. He was previously president and CEO of First Calgary Petroleums Ltd. Gran Tierra is an international oil and gas company operating in South America, headquartered in Calgary and incorporated in the U.S. * * * Wedge Networks Inc. has promoted Hongwen Zhang to president and CEO as part of its ongoing succession planning. Zhang succeeds Phil Gee, who will continue serving as a director. Zhang, a co-founder of Wedge, was previously chief technology officer. Wedge provides network-based web security solutions to enterprises and service providers worldwide. It is headquartered in Calgary with offices in San Jose, Calif., and Beijing. * * * Penn West Energy Trust (TSX: PWT.UN; NYSE:PWE) has engaged Bob Shepherd as VP of development engineering. Shepherd brings 30 years of petroleum industry experience as a professional engineer. Based in Calgary, Penn West is the largest conventional oil and natural gas-producing trust in North America. * * * Alter NRG Corp. (TSX:NRG) has hired Kent Hicks as VP of construction and operations. Most recently he was the VP of downstream operations for Synenco Energy and GM in Petro Canada's Fort Hills oilsands project. Hicks replaces Rick Bower, who becomes a full-time consultant on a variety of Alter NRG projects. The company is pursuing alternative energy solutions. Its head office is in Calgary. * * * NovAtel Inc., a manufacturer of precise positioning technology, has named Michael Ritter as the company's new president and CEO. Ritter replaces Jon Ladd, who is assuming a strategic advisory role with NovAtel's parent company, Hexagon AB of Sweden. Ritter most recently was a senior executive with Trimble Navigation Ltd. NovAtel Inc. is based in Calgary. * * * Wayne Chorney has resigned as president, CEO, COO and a director of True Energy Inc., the administrator of True Energy Trust (TSX:TUI.UN). Raymond Smith, P. Eng., a director of True, has been appointed as president and CEO. Smith was previously the president and CEO of Meridian Energy prior to its acquisition by True. The trust is an exploration and production oil and gas trust based in Calgary. * * * Arron Madson has moved into the role of president of AgCall. Madson has spent his career working in the agriculture and food industry across North America. AgCall provides project outsourcing, data services and social marketing techniques for the North American agriculture and food industry. Its head office is in Calgary. * * * Advantage Energy Income Fund (TSX:AVN.UN, NYSE:AAV) has made a number of appointments to the executive team of its wholly owned subsidiary and administrator, Advantage Oil & Gas Ltd. (AOG): Andy Mah, former president and COO, becomes CEO. He replaces Kelly Drader, who becomes president and CFO. Craig Blackwood, former director of finance, has been appointed as VP of finance. Peter Hanrahan, the former VP of finance and CFO, has elected to resign from those positions. Advantage is focused on its Glacier property in the Montney area of B.C., where half of its 2009 capex budget has been allocated. The fund's corporate offices are in Calgary. * * * Imaging Dynamics Company Ltd. (TSX: IDL) says its founder Robin Winsor has resigned as chief technical officer. Winsor will continue as a scientific and technical adviser to IDL. Imaging Dynamics is a medical technology company focused on digital radiography. It is based in Calgary. - with files from The Canadian Press (E-mail notices and photos at least two weeks before publication date to news@businessedge.ca.)
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