Canada’s Pacific Exploration & Production Corp. appointed Barry Larson as its new CEO, effective Feb. 20, the company said Jan. 30. He will be based at the Bogota, Colombia, operating headquarters.

Jim Latimer will continue as interim CEO until the effective date.

Most recently, Larson was a director at Pacific Exploration, and has more than 40 years of oil and gas industry experience, 21 of which in operations at the international level. Larson was appointed to the board as a director as part of the company’s recapitalization and restructuring.

Larson has stepped down as a director, effective immediately, the company said. Candidates for independent director are being evaluated.

From 2009 until his retirement in 2016, Larson was the CEO of Parex Resources Inc. Prior to that, he was the vice president of operations and COO at Petro Andina Resources Inc. from 2005 to 2009. From August 1999 to May 2004, Larson was co-founder and vice president of Aventura Energy Inc.

From 1994 until 1998, he was stationed in Argentina with Chauvco Resources International, working as a drilling manager, the manager of operations, and later as vice president of operations.

He also worked for 14 years at Wintershall Canada as a drilling and production superintendent.

Larson earned a degree from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and is currently a member of the board of directors for Madalena Energy Inc.