Big Sky Energy Corporation Mr. Matthew Heysel Chairman & CEO (403) 234-8885 Fax: (403) 265-8808 Email: mh@bigskycanada.com
Big Sky Energy Corporation, (OTCBB:BSKO) (NASDAQ:BSKO) (the "Company") Announced today that Mr. Bruce H. Gaston has been appointed as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, replacing Mr. Tom Milne, who will remain a Director of the Corporation. In addition, Mr. Ruslan Z. Tsarni joins the management team as the new Vice President, Business Development & Corporate Secretary.
Mr. Gaston has almost 20 years experience in financial control, risk management, capital markets, and corporate finance with a significant background in the Eurasian oil and gas marketplace. Mr. Gaston was previously a Senior Associate Director of Deutsche Morgan Grenfell based initially in London and then in Tokyo from 1992 to 1998. While in London with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Mr Gaston provided risk management and advisory support to the Emerging Markets and Eastern European sovereign debt trading and financial structuring business. Mr. Gaston has been a consultant with a boutique Eurasian corporate finance and risk management consultancy since late 1999, supporting several clients including the Royal Bank of Scotland Asia. Mr. Gaston has also served as a Director of Deloitte & Touche Central Asia through 2002 and was previously head of Russian Equities for Commerzbank AG in 1998 and 1999. Mr. Gaston has also served with Credit Suisse Financial Products as an Accountant and Bankers Trust as an Assistant Treasurer and started his financial career as a graduate on the trading floor of Chase Manhattan NA in 1987. Mr. Gaston has been an advisor to Eastern European governments on privatization, Oil and Gas clients on Financial Control Process Engineering, and has considerable experience in Risk Management in global markets and within the Eastern European Emerging Markets sector. Mr. Gaston's educational achievements include a BA in July 1987 from the University of New Brunswick, followed by an MSc in Economics from the University of London in December 1990.
Mr. Ruslan Tsarni, a U.S. citizen, has over 10 years of professional experience in oil and gas legislation and corporate law. Previously, Mr. Tsarni served as Corporate Counsel of Nelson Resources Limited Group of companies, as well as Managing Director of several of its operating subsidiaries, responsible for all matters relating to corporate governance and placements and filing requirements under the securities regulations of Toronto Stock Exchange and AIM. He worked with financial institutions and banks on raising funds for acquisition and development of the assets operated by Nelson's subsidiaries, as well as managed legal and administrative matters for all such subsidiaries. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Tsarni worked as Head of Legal Affairs of Golden Eagle Partners LLC where he developed downstream and upstream oil and gas businesses in Kazakhstan and served as Managing Director of its wholly owned subsidiary Tobe LLP. From 1998 to 1999 Mr.Tsarni worked as Senior Associate with Salans Hertzfeld & Heilbronn providing legal advise to major multinational companies on different aspects of Kazakhstan legal issues on development of mineral resources, corporations, taxation, currency, customs, employment, banking, bankruptcy and trade marks. From 1994 to 1996, Mr. Tsarni served as a consultant for Financial Markets International LLC and Arthur Andersen LLP contracted by USAID for projects aimed to develop securities markets in Central Asia, where he trained corporate governance and corporate finance principals to state and private companies.
"We are very pleased to have these respected individuals join our management team," stated Mr. Al Sehsuvaroglu, President of the Company. "Their extensive Kazakh experience will be of great assistance to our efforts to grow our business in Kazakhstan."
Big Sky Energy Corporation is an international oil and gas exploration company, looking to develop assets in the world's most prolific basins in order to become a leading low-cost finder of hydrocarbons. The Company is currently operating in Kazakhstan's renowned pre-Caspian basin.
Note: The information contained in this press release contains forward looking statements which are based on the current expectations of the management of Big Sky Energy Corporation only, and actual results may differ materially. For a more detailed discussion of risks and other factors related to Big Sky Energy Corporation, please refer to its 10-KSB and 10 QSB reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Big Sky Energy Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board:BSKO) (NASDAQ:BSKO)