Vantage Drilling International Appoints William L. Thomson as Chief Operating Officer

Offshore drilling contractor Vantage Drilling International has made a strategic organizational change by assigning an additional role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) to its current Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Effective January 1, 2025, William “Bill” L. Thomson has taken on the new responsibility, reporting directly to Vantage’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ihab Toma. Thomson, who has been with Vantage since 2008, will continue to be based in the company’s Dubai office.

Thomson’s extensive experience at Vantage includes various roles in engineering/projects, technical support, marketing, and managed services. Prior to his tenure at Vantage, he held key managerial positions at Transocean, such as Asset Operations Manager UK, Europe, and Africa, Technical Support Manager, and New Build Project Manager.

As part of its growth strategy for the new year, Vantage Drilling International has initiated a joint venture (JV) with French energy giant TotalEnergies through its subsidiary Vantage Holdings International. The JV, named TEVA Ship Charter (TEVA), will acquire the Tungsten Explorer drillship currently operating off the coast of Congo, following a binding agreement signed by the two companies in February 2024.