Goodrich Petroleum Corp. promoted Kristen M. McWatters to CFO, replacing the independent E&P company’s former finance chief Robert T. Barker, who retired effective Dec. 16.

Barker had served as the Houston-based company’s senior vice president and CFO since January 2017. He has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry and had joined Goodrich in 2007 as manager of financial reporting.
 
The company previously announced Barker’s notice of retirement in late September. His decision to retire was based on personal reasons and not the result of any disagreement relating to Goodrich’s operations, policies or practices, a company release said.

McWatters currently serves as Goodrich’s controller, a role she has held since March 2020. As part of her promotion announced Dec. 16, she will now serve as the company’s principal financial officer in addition to her other roles as senior vice president and chief accounting officer. 

Prior to joining Goodrich in 2017, McWatters worked at Spark Energy Inc., a publicly traded independent retail energy services company, as controller from 2015-16 and their senior manager of financial reporting from 2014-15.

She also previously served in various positions with Southwestern Energy Co. from 2011-14, including manager of financial reporting. From 2008-11, she worked for KPMG LLP.

Goodrich engages in the exploitation, development and production of natural gas and crude oil. Due to the current oil price environment, however, the company is currently concentrating its efforts on the development of its natural gas assets in the Haynesville Shale in North Louisiana and East Texas, according to its website.

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