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Khalid Akyabi, MBA, CFA

Vice President – Upstream Planning & Performance Management
19.7 yrs experienceOil & Energy
Jan 2026

The move

MoveExxonMobil → ADNOC Group
TitleSenior ERD Planning Engineer → Vice President – Upstream Planning & Performance Management
LocationAbu Dhabi → Abu Dhabi
Career arcBoomerang (UAE-educated, foreign stint)★
First time at this levelYes ★
Cross-border moveNo — same country
UAE federal / sovereign destinationYes ★
Years in UAE11.7
Total experience19.7 years
ADNOC Group headcount10,001+ employees
ADNOC Group industryOil and Gas
ADNOC Group HQAbu Dhabi
ADNOC Group founded1971
ADNOC Group typeGovernment Agency

Career arc

  1. Vice President – Upstream Planning & Performance ManagementJan 2026 — Present
    ADNOC Group· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  2. Upstream Market Intelligence ManagerFeb 2025 — Jan 2026
    ADNOC Group· Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  3. Drilling Performance ManagerFeb 2024 — Feb 2025
    ADNOC Group· Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  4. Business Transformation ManagerJun 2023 — Feb 2024
    ADNOC Group· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  5. Business Analysis AdvisorOct 2022 — May 2023
    ExxonMobil· Spring, Texas, United States· Full-time
  6. Senior Reservoir Engineer & Field Development Planning AdvisorAug 2020 — Oct 2022
    ExxonMobil· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  7. Drilling – Projects Interface AdvisorDec 2019 — Aug 2020
    ExxonMobil· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  8. Senior ERD Planning EngineerAug 2016 — Dec 2019
    ExxonMobil· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  9. Senior ERD Drilling EngineerApr 2014 — Aug 2016
    ExxonMobil· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Full-time
  10. Senior Drilling EngineerSep 2011 — Apr 2014
    ExxonMobil· Doha, Qatar· Full-time
  11. Drilling EngineerJun 2010 — Sep 2011
    Imperial Oil· Calgary, Alberta, Canada· Full-time
  12. Reservoir EngineerJun 2007 — Jun 2010
    Imperial Oil· Calgary, Alberta, Canada· Full-time
  13. Reservoir EngineerJan 2006 — Aug 2006
    Imperial Oil· Calgary, Alberta, Canada· Internship
  14. Safety & Industrial Environment EngineerJun 2005 — Jul 2005
    Technip· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Internship
  15. Field EngineerMay 2003 — Jul 2003
    Schlumberger· Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates· Internship

Education

Top skills

Drilling FluidsWell InterventionExcel ModelingWell ControlDrilling EngineeringProject Appraisal

About

Energy executive with nearly two decades of global upstream leadership experience across ADNOC and ExxonMobil. Background spans drilling, reservoir management, integrated field development, and upstream M&A, shaped by experience across both operator and service-provider sides of the industry. Proven track record of shaping portfolio strategy, strengthening capital discipline, and driving performance governance across complex onshore and offshore assets. Technical grounding and financial rigor (MBA, CFA) underpin my focus on disciplined capital allocation, integrated planning, and sustainable long-term value creation.

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