New Management Team Sees MCS Set its Sights on Further Expansion in Brazil

23 April 2009

Leading advanced subsea engineering company MCS is set to extend its share of the lucrative Brazilian oil and gas market with two new senior appointments heading a renewed growth strategy for the Rio de Janeiro office.

In the four years since it was established, the Brazilian operation of MCS has experienced a steady growth of around 50% a year with staff numbers rising to 16 in 2008.

MCS plays a vital role in offering South American clients access to the fully integrated portfolio of services available both locally and internationally.

Rafael Martins de Castro has been appointed business development manager responsible for leading the international company as it looks to expand its network of exploration and production clients in the region with a renewed focus on its subsea engineering services and software capabilities.

An industry professional with more than 10 years experience across subsea production systems and controls, Mr Martins joined MCS in 2007 as project manager working on a number of studies involving production and export risers. He was primarily responsible for contract and project management activities, mainly related to one of the key MCS' frame agreements with Petrobras.

He said: “As demand in the subsea market increases, MCS has established itself as a leading global player in the subsea engineering and software sector. The ongoing investment we are making in expanding the scope of our service provision underlines our confidence in MCS's continued growth prospects and I am delighted to be in a position to help guide the development of such a dynamic company.”

Rafael Lima has also been appointed as subsea engineering team leader. With almost 10 years experience of installation and project engineering in both deep and shallow water, he is charged with developing and supervising the Rio team as it grows.

MCS Brazil is led by director Otavio Serta, he said: “MCS has a strong reputation in Brazil and we have experienced sustained growth since establishing a dedicated presence in the region in 2004. Rafael Martins' expertise, coupled with his experience of the Brazilian marketplace, will help us to not simply maintain this momentum, but further build on our success as we move into the next phase of our global growth plan.

“As part of Wood Group we have identified joint opportunities for business development between other Group companies with an established presence in Brazil and those looking to enter the market. We would anticipate a further increase in this type of activity as MCS Rio continues to expand.”

An advanced subsea engineering company with offices in Galway, Aberdeen, Houston, Rio, Perth, Paris and Kuala Lumpur, MCS is a subsidiary of international energy services company John Wood Group PLC (“Wood Group”). It provides engineering solutions including riser design experience, proprietary software and subsea integrity management across a wide variety of projects worldwide.