Finian O’Sullivan’s globe-trotting career has taken him to many of the most far-flung and inhospitable countries in the world.
However, the Burren Energy chief’s years of exploration appeared to have paid dividends yesterday as he reported a 68 per cent rise in first-half profits. His travels began after he completed a degree in geology and geophysics from University College Galway. He headed first to Canada, braving frostbite in Alberta, working for Chevron. He then moved to the warmer climes of California to pursue a career in seismic contracting, and by the age of 26 found himself running a seismic contracting agency in Australia.
In the early 1990s Mr O’Sullivan moved into production, ending up in Turkmenistan, where he identified the potential of the large volumes of oil and gas.
Realising that transportation was crucial, he put together a modest shipping and export operation, which became Burren. It floated last December, making Mr O’Sullivan, aged 49, a paper millionaire.
He lives in Winchester with his wife and three daughters.