Management Team

Meet our

Executive Team

Vincent Swift

Chairman

From a one-man start-up in Bangkok in 1993, Vinarco has grown into a strong, diverse group of companies providing technical support for major industries across South East Asia. The long voyage has not been without incident. Along the way, Vinarco has had to navigate the rough seas of the 1997 Asian Crisis, regular coups and massive flooding in Thailand, the Global Financial Crisis, and, most recently, the devastating Oil Price Crash. It has not been all smooth sailing. Ultimately, however, the Vinarco Group has emerged as a leading provider of high-end technical services and human capital solutions to the Oil & Gas, Power, Renewables, Telecoms and Infrastructure sectors across Asia-Pacific.

Vincent has been with the organisation since Day One, and has guided Vinarco’s expansion into new industry sectors and new regional markets. The two major factors behind this successful expansion are our Vinarco Team and our corporate culture. Our Senior Management recognise that the Group’s continued success will again be driven by hiring more talented people, empowering them, and motivating them. This blue-print for steady growth in the constantly-changing, dynamic market-places of Asia is reflected in the Vinarco Group motto: “Superior Services: Professional People”.

A company’s most important asset is its people, and Vincent firmly believes in growing this asset by continually deepening and broadening the Vinarco talent pool. The future success of the Group, of our new business lines, and our resilience in the face of (the next!) adversity, will be driven by the talent of our team. And, ultimately, as we develop that talent, our next generation of leaders will emerge.

Vincent arrived in Asia in 1983, and has managed international companies across Asia since 1986. Prior to founding Vinarco, he spent 15 years in international advertising including 10 years running Leo Burnett offices in China, Hong Kong and Thailand. Vincent is British, an Oxford University graduate in Chemistry; a student of military history; a firm believer in Leadership Development; a seasoned traveller; and a retired sportsman (rugby and football). Vincent is also a serial investor in new technology, with his major focus on FinTech and New Media.

Andrew re-joined Vinarco as our Group Managing Director in January 2015 after a 7-year gap. Earlier, he had spent several years as our Chief Operating Officer. He is directly in control of Information Technology and also the Communications infrastructure business known as Vinarco ICT, while overseeing all other Group activities.

Andrew is a very experienced senior executive having managed international companies at country and regional level in several Asian markets. He spent the first 30 years of his career in the large German multinational, Hoechst AG, where he rose to senior management and regional positions in Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. His years climbing the corporate ladder enabled him to accumulate expertise in Sales & Marketing, Information Technology, Controlling, Accounting and Finance, Management Accounting, Production Management and General Management. Thanks to his years of senior management, Andrew also has had great exposure in dealing with the various stakeholders in many types of businesses, he has developed strong skills in relationship management, negotiating with both internal and external parties, and managing their expectations.

Andrew has been responsible for a complete 5-year overhaul of our organisation, streamlining our business processes and structuring us for future growth. He is also fully committed to building our human capital: making sure that we recruit quality talent; that we invest in developing our people; that we genuinely empower them; and that we hold them properly accountable for their business results. Under his steady hand, a strong, stable and dedicated leadership team has emerged and is driving us forward.

Andrew is a New Zealander (and since 1997 also a Thai National), and besides English he also speaks fluent German and Thai. As a long-term resident of Thailand (and now a Thai citizen), Andrew is a strong supporter of Thailand’s ambitious plans for its Eastern Economic Corridor, following on from the impressive 30-year development of the Eastern Sea-Board. Consequently, he is guiding Vinarco in expanding our activities in the EEC. Likewise, Andrew has a keen personal interest in IT: this has also benefited Vinarco professionally, as Andrew runs our Internal IT function, as well as overseeing our ICT Division.

He is a keen rugby fan, a former player, and naturally he supports the All Blacks.

Andrew McDowell

(Chakrit Wongsakornraksa)
Group Managing Director

Meet The Team

Sarunya Panupattana

Director - Energy Services

Sarunya is in charge of the leadership, management, and sustainable growth of our core business sector. This also involves identifying and developing new business opportunities at both local and regional levels. Her professionalism and her high commitment in representing Vinarco over the years has been recognised by her growth through the ranks of the company. We are proud that she has become one of our homegrown leaders.

Vichapat Piyaratn

Director - VinarcoFormiti

Vichapat currently leads Vinarco's Corporate Compliance and Organizational Solutions sector, VinarcoFormiti. With over 8 years experience in Human Resource Organizational Development (HROD) field, he is equally involved in supporting clients with their PDPA compliance journey and instrumental in sustainable development of Vinarco's internal organization. His commitment to improving organizational resources and standards are a great asset to our organization.

Pensuma Techasatian

Regional Financial Controller

Pensuma manages our Finance and Accounting functions in across all Vinarco business sectors. Her overall oversight of the finance team was valuable in navigating the company through challenging times and will be important for us moving forward. Since joining the company, she has continued to develop her professional skills, to take on greater responsibilities, and to make a correspondingly more valuable contribution to our organization.

Hugh Fraser

Regional Business Development Manager

Hugh has joined Vinarco Energy Services Team as the Regional Business Development Manager. He is based in our new office in Laem Chabang and has a focus on growing our business capabilities and partnerships in Thailand and the Asian Region. Hugh brings with him 16+ years experience in the Petrochemicals and Oil and Gas industry. During this time he has worked for some of the major EPC Contractors worldwide, namely Wood, KBR, Amec and Worley Parsons as a Lead Structural Engineer. Hugh works towards building a good working relationships with our existing clients and candidates while also looking for ways to expand our client base.

Kanjana Praritmongcol

Recruitment Manager

With over 7 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry, she is a proven and dynamic recruitment expert. Kanjana has acquired her experience in the field of engineering, allowing her to comprehend the core needs and desires of different business sectors and to provide strategies that fully satisfy the client's requests. She has good problem-solving abilities that will assist individual clients in meeting their goals.

Phimkaew Muangkao

Operations Manager

Phimkaew has joined Vinarco in 2019 as an Operation Manager to oversee the whole operation activities including mobilization and demobilization. She has experience in operation management for more than 7 years, moreover she has graduated in Mini Master in HR Management and few years working experience in HRM. She has a can-do attitude and problem-solving skills which will help the clients to achieve their projected targets.