Sami Saad has led the Executive Management as CEO at Fort McKay Group of Companies for over 6 years expanding to President and CEO of the Fort McKay Business Investment Group. Having worked within public and private companies with portfolios exceeding $500M, Sami Saad focuses his executive leadership on value-driven activities that drive stakeholder confidence, employee engagement and team building. Sami’s management experience has included a range of projects encompassing upstream and downstream in oil and gas, construction and other commercial ventures. Sami has previously held roles as project manager; director, vice president and executive office of large corporations. Whether managing industry and government relations or engaging with local communities, he develops and fosters a fair, inclusive and performance driven culture. .
With over 40 years of experience, Sami has cultivated executive leadership skills building relationships, teams, communities, vision and leading people along the journey.
Contact
Email: ssaad@fmbiglp.com
Michael Chwelos has over 25 years leadership experience in oil & gas, industrial plant maintenance, heavy equipment and mining operations. Michael has spent over 15 years in the Fort McMurray region and has actively contributed his expertise to various community and non-profit organizations supporting the enhancement and development of the Wood Buffalo region. Michaels career has a proven track record of delivering safe, productive and quality results in both the union and non-union settings through several leadership roles most recently with Suncor.
Contact
Email: mchwelos@fortmckaygroup.com
Dr. Alvaro Pinto became Vice President of Oilsands Development and Sustainability for Fort McKay First Nation in July 2020. His primary responsibility in this role is to lead the development of a major Fort McKay oilsands project that will produce 450 million barrels of bitumen from Lease 174C.
Prior to taking on his new responsibilities, Alvaro spent almost ten years as Fort McKay First Nation’s Executive Director, Sustainability, Community Services, and Education. His career has taken him around the world. He was previously Sustainability Corporate Director for Yamana Gold, and Health, Safety, and Environmental Director of the Canadian Nickel Corporation, both in Brazil. He was Vice President of Safety and Emergency Response at Lonmin Platinum in South Africa. His early career includes work in the oil, metals mining, and consulting industry in South and North America. Dr. Pinto has a Bachelor’s degree in Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Brazil, an M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia, and a Ph.D. from the Colorado School of Mines, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Georgetown University. He is a member of the Minas Gerais Regional Council of Engineering and Architecture.
Contact
Email: apinto@Fortmckay.com
Patrick is a seasoned business leader with a focus on operations and finance, honed over two decades in the industrial, commercial, and institutional construction sectors across Western Canada. His extensive experience spans over 10 years in acquisitions and finance, where he has worked on structuring credit facilities, project financing, and debt restructuring initiatives.
An active entrepreneur, Patrick successfully founded, scaled, and sold a healthcare business to a subsidiary of L Catterton, a leading private equity firm. His practical expertise is complemented by a strong academic foundation, with an MBA and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Northern British Columbia.
Contact
Email: phibbitts@fortmckay.com
