16 August 2023

Rockhopper Exploration plc

("Rockhopper" or the "Company" or the "Group")

Board Changes

Rockhopper Exploration plc (AIM: RKH), the oil and gas company with key interests in the North Falkland Basin, announces the appointments, with effect from 1 October 2023, of Simon Thomson as Non-Executive Chair and Paul Mayland as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Simon is a highly experienced oil and gas executive. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Cairn Energy PLC ("Cairn") (subsequently Capricorn Energy PLC) from 2011 to 2023, having joined Cairn in 1995. During his tenure as Chief Executive Officer, Simon participated in and led multiple international corporate transactions, and delivered substantial cash returns to shareholders generated from organic growth opportunities. Simon also has significant experience in the successful leadership of complex international arbitrations and legal disputes, including the successful collection of US$1.2 billion in association with a dispute with the Government of India.

Paul is a Chartered Engineer with over 30 years' experience in the oil and gas industry, including working with BG Group and Vermillion Energy, and most recently with Cairn where he held the role of Chief Operating Officer for over ten years, before leaving in April 2023.  Paul has a proven track record in the upstream energy industry, having directly overseen five final investment decisions ("FID") whilst at Cairn alone, including three FPSO projects, one platform and one subsea tieback.

As previously notified, Keith Lough, Non-Executive Chair, and John Summers, Non-Executive Director, will step down from their respective positions on the Board, in line with good corporate governance, having served for over nine years. Keith and John will formally leave the Board on 30 September 2023.

Alison Baker, Senior Independent Director of Rockhopper, commented:

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome Simon and Paul to Rockhopper, both of whom bring a wealth of extremely relevant experience to the team. We are looking forward to leveraging Simon's experience in respect of our ongoing arbitration regarding Ombrina Mare, and Paul's expertise in securing FID for offshore energy projects.

"We would also like to thank Keith and John for their significant contributions to Rockhopper and the Board. Their input and guidance has been invaluable through some challenging times for the Group and we wish them every success with their future endeavours."

Simon Thomson, incoming Chair, commented: 

"I am delighted to be joining the team at Rockhopper, at an exciting time for the Group. I am looking forward to working with the team and our partner, Navitas, to further progress the Sea Lion project, and to achieving a successful outcome in the Ombrina Mare arbitration."

Save for the below, there are no further disclosures required with regard to Schedule Two, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies:

Simon John Thomson, aged 58, holds or has held in the past 5 years the following directorships and partnerships:

Paul Joseph Mayland, aged 55, has held in the past 5 years the following directorships and partnerships:

Enquiries:

Rockhopper Exploration plc

Sam Moody - Chief Executive Officer

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7390 0234 (via Vigo Consulting)

Canaccord Genuity Limited (NOMAD and Joint Broker)

Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor/Gordon Hamilton

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7523 8000

Peel Hunt LLP (Joint Broker)

Richard Crichton/Georgia Langoulant

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7418 8900

Vigo Consulting

Patrick d'Ancona/Ben Simons/Fiona Hetherington

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7390 0234