Leadership Announcement – IOGP Safety Director

Steve Norton will conclude his secondment as IOGP Safety Director at the end of February 2026.  Over the past three years, Steve has collaborated with experts to develop industry-shaping Recommended Practices aimed at eliminating fatalities and permanent impairments (FPI). He has raised the bar on industry benchmarking and insights, including the publication of annual Safety Data and the first FPI report.  In his tenure, he has continued to forge influential partnerships, pivotal for industry standardization.  His strong leadership and impactful contributions have created a strong legacy.

IOGP is pleased to announce that Tom Frost, a secondee to IOGP from Shell, is appointed IOGP Safety Director with effect from 1 March 2026.   This appointment underscores Shell’s continuing commitment to advancing safety across the industry.

Tom brings extensive HSSE experience and proven track record as a respected ambassador and leader within the oil and gas sector.   He joined Shell as a Project Engineer in 1997 and has worked on a plethora of projects across the upstream and midstream businesses in many countries around the world including Gabon, Russia, South Korea, UK, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Iraq, UAE and Canada, where he was most recently Project Director for LNG Canada Phase 2.   As a project leader with sole accountability in remote and challenging environments, he is widely recognized for setting, demanding, and delivering the highest standards—particularly in HSSE. This was exemplified when he spearheaded the development of an innovative mine-clearing method at the Majnoon oilfield in Iraq, driven by his unwavering commitment to workforce safety and achieving zero lost-time incidents against all expectations.  Alongside his many front-line delivery roles, he previously served as Head of Shell Project Academy and Engineering Learning, where he was responsible for building capability and developing competence for 9,000 staff. This experience brings a strong educational foundation and a learner-focused mindset to the role.   Tom recently relocated from Canada back home to the UK where he will be based for his new role.

Graham Henley, IOGP CEO said, “I would like to personally, and on behalf of IOGP, thank Steve for his exemplary leadership and commitment over the past three years. He has made a lasting contribution to how our industry approaches safety, raising the bar and strengthening the way we learn from data, shared learnings and experience. As Steve concludes his secondment, I am pleased to welcome Tom to IOGP. Tom brings deep practical experience, a strong personal commitment to keeping people safe, and a proven ability to lead in complex environments. I look forward to working with him as we continue to build on the progress already made.”