President
ConocoPhillips China
Running for: Governor
Campaign Statement
Esteemed AmCham China voting members, as President of ConocoPhillips China, and as a current Governor on AmCham China’s Board of Governors, I seek your vote for re-election as Governor to AmCham China’s 2017 Board of Governors.
AmCham China provides its members with a rich platform to help realize business success in China. If elected, I would be honored to contribute to member interests by leveraging my experiences working internationally, including most recently:
- Governor, Board of Governors of AmCham China, 2016
- Board of International Gas Association, 2014-2015
- Governor, Board of Governors of AmCham Malaysia, 2012-2015
- Vice Chairman, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council in Malaysia, 2012-2015
- Vice Chairman, Board of International School of Kuala Lumpur, 2006-2012
Over the last four decades, ConocoPhillips China has become one of the largest foreign investors in China’s oil and gas sector, and was the first foreign operator to assist in making an offshore discovery. Our mission has focused on supporting China in its goal of providing clean, long-term, and sustainable energy. I believe this experience of positive contribution to China can contribute to AmCham China’s mission and success.
With your vote, I look forward to enhancing the company’s activities in AmCham China, where we have been co-chairs of the Oil, Energy, and Power Forum. I would also seek to expand opportunities for practical U.S.-China government and private sector collaboration, applying our experience as sponsor of the annual U.S.-China Oil and Gas Industry Forum.
I believe there is increased potential for AmCham China to help members succeed as complexities continue to deepen in the economic, commercial, and political climate in China. If elected, I would be honored to work toward this goal.
Biography
Wheeler began his career as an exploration geologist in Houston, Texas in 1980. Between 1980 and 1994, he worked in the U.S. in a number of technical and supervisory positions, located in Midland, Texas, New Orleans, Lafayette, Louisiana and Houston, Texas.
Between 1989 and 1995, Wheeler headed up Conoco’s exploration program in the mid-continent region of the U.S., based out of Midland, Texas. In 1995, he moved to Jakarta to lead Conoco’s exploration effort in Indonesia. In 2000, he transferred to Stavanger, Norway where he held the position of Exploration Vice President for Conoco Norway. In 2002, Wheeler returned to Jakarta as Vice President of Exploration and Exploitation for ConocoPhillips Indonesia. He was responsible for the subsurface development of the company’s major Natuna Sea, East Java and South Sumatra projects, as well as all exploration activities. During this time, he was a member of ConocoPhillips’ Global Exploration Leadership Team, where he had the responsibility for the company’s exploration activities for the Asia Pacific region.
In 2005, Wheeler moved to Kuala Lumpur, as President of ConocoPhillips Malaysia, where he oversaw the start-up and growth of ConocoPhillips’ Malaysia business unit. In February 2015, Wheeler transferred to Beijing, China where he is currently serving as President of ConocoPhillips China, overseeing the ongoing production, development and exploration work in and around our producing assets in the Bohai Bay and South China Sea.
Wheeler received a Master of Science, with honors, in Geology from Washington State University in 1980. For undergraduate studies, he attended University of California, Berkeley and St. Lawrence University in New York.