Mark Smith, MBA

Mark is a highly accomplished senior executive with demonstrated performance in all aspects of the energy industry, including operations, capital allocation, strategic planning, business development, corporate finance, capital markets, M&A, IPOs, turnarounds and restructuring. Mark has served on multiple executive committees and boards, and he is a Governance Fellow, National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). Mark is recognized for his leadership in corporate strategy and development and has a strong operational track record combined with business development and corporate finance expertise. He has extensive experience in transformation and optimization of organizational design and processes. Mark is known for leading and developing high performing teams focused on creatively and collaboratively solving complex business issues.

Currently, Mark is Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of Guidon Energy, Blackstone’s largest energy - focused investment. His duties include CFO and Corporate Secretary for Blackstone affiliates, Swallowtail Royalties and Waterfield Midstream. He directs corporate finance, accounting, financial reporting, treasury, tax, internal audit, and risk management functions. Mark is a strategic partner with the CEO, executive team and Blackstone on growth and operational strategy, capital allocation, M&A, and portfolio optimization. He is an integral point of contact for Blackstone on financial matters for Guidon and Blackstone affiliates.

Prior to Guidon he served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at California Resources Corporation and served on the Executive Committee, Compliance Committee and Reserves Committee. He performed an essential role advising the CEO, executive team and Board through a challenging bankruptcy proceeding in response to dramatic drop in commodity prices and significantly lower demand.

Previously, Mark was Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, California Resources at Occidental Petroleum Corporation, where he was selected by this $75B enterprise value NYSE listed, international corporation to serve as “second in command” for spin-off/IPO of its California businessin a tax-free distribution to shareholders.

As Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Ultra Petroleum Corporation and chairman of its international finance subsidiary, Mark served as strategic partner with the CEO and COO for the $6B enterprise value NYSE listed company. He partnered directly with the COO on identification, evaluation, and execution of strategic M&A opportunities, and was responsible for negotiating, closing, and funding strategic acquisitions and divestitures.

Prior to that, Mark was Vice President, Business Development at J.M. Huber Energy. He was retained by this $500M asset base company to develop and lead a transactional M&A effort. Before that, Mark was Chief Financial Officer at Gulf Liquids, Inc., where he was retained as a key member of the executive management team and managed the finance function in face of the critical financial and contractual issues. Earlier in his career, Mark served as Managing Director, Investment Banking at Nesbitt Burns Securities Inc. (now BMO Capital Markets), and was appointed to the board of Nesbitt Burns Securities. He managed business development and advisory assignments in M&A, capital markets transactions and corporate finance for Texaco, Union Pacific Resources, Oryx, Pennzoil, and Anadarko among others. Prior to that, he held various positions, including Director, Energy Group at Bank of Montreal.

Mark holds an MBA, Finance (summa cum laude) from Oklahoma City University and a BS in Petroleum Engineering (Distinguished Scholar) from University of Oklahoma. He has completed leadership coursework at Harvard Business School and attended the Director’s College at Stanford Law. Mark has been recognized as CFO of the Year for a Large Public Company, San Fernando Valley Business Journal, and CFO of the Year for a Medium Public Company, Houston Business Journal. He is member and past chairman, Advisory Board, University of Oklahoma Mewbourne School of Petroleum Engineering and a member of numerous boards, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, where he serves on the Executive Committee and is chairman of the Audit Committee.

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