Dave Lesar passes CEO baton to Jeff Miller, remains executive chairman
After nearly 17 years at the helm of Halliburton (Ticker: HAL), Dave Lesar will be passing the title of CEO on to the company’s current president, Jeff Miller. The company announced Wednesday that its board of directors unanimously elected Miller to the role of both president and CEO effective June 1, 2017.
Lesar will remain executive chairman, continuing to help decide the strategic direction of the company, advising the management team and transitioning CEO responsibilities to Miller, who will provide day-to-day leadership for the company.
Lesar joined Halliburton in 1993 and has served the company in a variety of roles. He has served as chairman and CEO since 2000. He served as president and chief operating officer of Halliburton from June 1997 to August 2000 and continued as president until August 2014. Previously he was executive vice president and CFO of Halliburton, and executive vice president of Finance and Administration for Halliburton Energy Services, a Halliburton business unit. Lesar holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Business of Administration from the University of Wisconsin. He serves on the board of directors of the American Petroleum Institute.
Miller joined Halliburton in 1997 and has since served in several leadership roles, including chief operating officer until 2014 when he was named president and was appointed to the Halliburton Board of Directors. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science in agriculture and business from McNeese State University in Louisiana, and an MBA from Texas A&M University. He is a certified public accountant, a member of the Advisory Council for Texas A&M University Dwight Look College of Engineering, and a member of the board of directors for Atwood Oceanics, Inc.
Miller said in an interview that his strategy is to dominate the “last mile” of oil and gas production — fracking, cementing and other processes that bring a well into operation. In a period when analysts widely expect oil prices to remain lower for longer, the key, Miller said, is to help producers churn out oil for fewer dollars per barrel as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“I love the way the market it is shaping up, particularly in North America,” said Miller. “We love the businesses we’re in.”
