Pioneer Natural Resources Adds ESG Expert to Board

Dallas-headquartered Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) has announced the addition of Maria S. Jelescu Dreyfus to its board of directors.

Dreyfus is currently the chief investment officer for Ardinall Investment Management, a New York based independent investment firm with an ESG-based investment approach and a focus on climate change and sustainable investments, which she formed back in 2017. Dreyfus also currently serves on the boards of directors at Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation and CDPQ, and on the advisory board of Eni Next. The incoming Pioneer Natural Resources board member is also an advisory board member at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and an advisory board member, executive committee member and co-chair of the Women in Energy program. Dreyfus also serves as a director on several private companies’ governing and advisory boards in the energy transition space.

Prior to establishing Ardinall, Dreyfus spent 15 years at Goldman Sachs, where she most recently served as portfolio manager and managing director for Goldman Sachs Investment Partners (GSIP).

“We are excited to welcome Maria to the Pioneer board of directors,” Pioneer Chief Executive Officer Scott D. Sheffield said in a company statement.

“Maria’s extensive experience in energy and infrastructure, combined with her deep knowledge of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters will further strengthen Pioneer’s ESG leadership position,” Sheffield added in the statement.

Pioneer Natural Resources’ chairman of the board, J. Kenneth Thompson, said, “Maria’s deep background in finance, energy and ESG adds to our board’s collective skill set and her expertise will help guide the company successfully through the global energy transition”.

Commenting on her new role, Dreyfus said, “what appeals to me about joining pioneer’s board of directors is the shared belief that leadership means excellent performance in financial, operational and ESG matters”.

“Pioneer continues to do impressive work, but it is not content with the status quo. I look forward to working with Pioneer’s management team as it continues to further solidify its leading role in the energy transition,” Dreyfus added.

Earlier this month, Pioneer Natural Resources announced the publication of its 2021 Sustainability Report, which highlighted the company’s net zero ambition by 2050 and enhanced emissions reduction targets for greenhouse gas and methane.

In a company statement accompanying the release of the report, Sheffield said, “our board of directors, management team and employees are committed to ensuring Pioneer remains an ESG leader”.

“We are dedicated to reducing our emissions intensities, being proactive and transparent in our engagement with stakeholders and the communities in which we operate and ensuring our governance policies and performance metrics align with our ESG goals,” he added in the statement.

“These efforts, in conjunction with Pioneer’s low breakeven costs, low-emissions intensity, strong balance sheet and highly-skilled and diverse workforce, position the company for continued long-term success,” Sheffield continued.

Pioneer Natural Resources describes itself as a large independent oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States. The business, which traces its roots back to 1962, started life as Parker & Parsley, before merging with MESA Inc to form Pioneer, and eventually Pioneer Natural Resources.

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