Founder and President

Hugh Helferty has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry, resulting in a deep understanding of both conventional and clean energy technologies and how climate change needs can be met in the U.S. and globally. In his long career at ExxonMobil, Hugh led major research, engineering, and manufacturing organizations.

Immediately prior to his retirement in 2015, Hugh led Global Chemicals Research (GCR), the global research organization (process and products) for ExxonMobil Chemical, one of the world’s largest chemical companies.

Before leading GCR, Hugh headed ExxonMobil’s fundamental sciences research department, Corporate Strategic Research. In addition to leading the department, his responsibilities included overseeing research collaborations with universities as well as companies of all sizes, and providing scientific guidance on emerging energy issues and opportunities to the ExxonMobil Management Committee.

Hugh also led Products Research and Technology (PR&T), ExxonMobil’s global research & development department for fuel and lubricant products. PR&T, beyond conceptualizing and developing new products, supported over 1,500 commercial products. Hugh oversaw PR&T’s large research campus in New Jersey and provided direction to the group’s lab in Kawasaki, Japan, which had day-to-day interaction with Japan-based automakers and other customers.

Hugh also held senior positions at ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge Refinery – one of the world’s largest oil refineries – and Process Research Department, where his team developed new processes to improve environmental performance. Before moving to the United States, Hugh held several roles at Imperial Oil, a Canadian ExxonMobil affiliate.

Hugh holds a BS, with Honors, in chemistry and an MBA from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He earned a PhD in chemistry at the University of Toronto.