Jose Luis Vittor Assumes Presidency of Argentine Energy Business Group, IAPGH
July 24, 2006
HOUSTON (July 24, 2006) –José Luis Vittor, an international attorney in the Houston office of Bracewell & Guliani LLP, has taken office as president of the Instituto Argentino del Petroleo y del Gas, Houston (IAPGH).
IAPGH is an independent non-profit business development organization comprised of multinational energy companies. Its mission is to provide a forum for the exchange and dissemination of technological, scientific and environmental innovations impacting the industry and facilitating the understanding of the Argentinean energy business environment, as well as its regulatory framework. Among the members are representatives of companies such as Repsol YPF, Shell, BP America, ChevronTexaco and Conoco Phillips.
Vittor, whose legal expertise assisted in privatizing the oil and gas industry in Argentina, served IAPGH, during the past year as a member of the board and president-elect. During this time the IAPGH succeeded in bringing the governor of the Argentinean Río Negro Province to Houston--in conjunction with the Greater Houston Partnership—to discuss exploration opportunities in the Río Negro region with IAPGH and Houston business community members.
As president, Vittor’s leadership goals include strengthening IAPGH’s relationship with its sister organization in Argentina and local counterparts of international energy organizations; promoting education and raising funds for Argentinean student scholarships at U.S. universities; and creating an open forum for the Latin American oil and gas industry to discuss issues and current challenges. To achieve the latter, Vittor plans to expand the forum in Houston for all Latin American oil and gas institutes.
“Houston is the recognized energy center of the world, so it's very important for regulators, government officials and industry community leaders here to foster relationships and understand the status of Latin America’s industry,” said Vittor. “I look forward to providing the grounds for an open dialogue with industry representatives from Latin America's private and public sector.
A native of Argentina who leads Bracewell's Latin American Business Practice, Vittor is a 15-year legal veteran. His international legal work focuses on commercial and corporate transactions, privatizations, project development and finance in Latin America, the United States, Europe and Asia. He has served as legal advisor to numerous energy companies on regulatory and privatization aspects in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela and Mexico.
Among his groundbreaking Latin American work, Vittor has represented investor George Soros in his company's investments in Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela; Mexican oil giant Pemex; Chile's largest oil and gas company ENAP, and other international energy companies in the areas of LNG, renewable energy and project development and finance.