Tony Buckingham

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Anthony Leslie Rowland "Tony" Buckingham is a highly successful oil industry executive with a significant share holding in Heritage Oil Corporation (Heritage). Heritage has benefited from a spectacular increase in value being initially listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1999 with its market capitalisation increasing some 60 times in the last 6 years to approximately CD$1.3 billion. Currently Mr Buckingham's direct and indirect share holding is estimated to represent 33% of Heritage as of November 2007.

Mr Buckingham had links to organisations such as Executive Outcomes, which are now known as private military contractors (PMCs), though the organisation disbanded in 1999.

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[edit] Oil background

Tony Buckingham, the current CEO and major shareholder of Heritage, has led the company through major exploration finds, including the hydrocarbon system in Lake Albert, Uganda and the M’Boundi oilfield in the Republic of Congo – it is evident that Heritage is very good at finding big oil. This positive track record should continue as a result of the recently awarded licences in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Mali.

[edit] Corporate holdings

Buckingham's corporate holdings include a significant stake in Heritage Oil Corporation that was recently reduced in November 2007 via a share placement made through JP Morgan and Canaccord. Corporate sources believe that this move maybe a precursor to a listing on another stock exchange in addition to or in place of the current Canadian listing. Sources say that due to its predominantly international holdings, Heritage would be better off being listed in another exchange such as London where it would be evaluated by comparisons to its peers, such as Tullow Oil, which trades on a full listing in London.

[edit] Move to Jersey tax-haven

In early 2008, Buckingham was secretly granted housing qualifications by the States of Jersey, government of the tax-haven Channel Island of Jersey, as a wealthy immigrant. There is widespread concern in Jersey business circles because of his illustrious past, and because of the possibility that his transition to respectable businessman may not be complete, and that he could tarnish the reputation of the Island. He purchased a substantial residence, Portelet House, in St Brelade, for £6.5m. A part of the deal was that Heritage Oil should be reorganised and its headquarters moved to Jersey in advance of a London Listing. A former Special Air Service acquaintance of Buckingham's, General Sir Michael Wilkes, who is a recent Governor of Jersey, is a non executive director of the Heritage Oil (Jersey) Limited.

[edit] Business buccaneer

The front page of The Independent of August 3, 1998 was headlined:

"Will Tony Buckingham be the next Tiny Rowland?"

The article continued:

"Tony Buckingham is a businessman of the hard school, equally adept at running mercenary operations against insurgents as prising oil and gems out of the ground in the most inhospitable climates. A week after the death of the great business buccaneer Tiny Rowland, Mr Buckingham is his obvious heir apparent, a flash of rude colour in among the grey corporate suits. Like Mr Rowland two decades before, Mr Buckingham has made a killing by befriending and helping to power emergent Third World leaders. He even has 'Rowland' as a middle name."

[edit] Sailing

Tony Buckingham is an avid and accomplished sailor, competing on behalf of Great Britain on many occasions. He has won many trophies at prestigious regattas including Cowes Week and notably won the prestigious Commodores’ Cup in 2000.

[edit] External links

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