Management Team
Denis Larocque
Mr. Larocque joined Major Drilling in 1994 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer on September 11, 2015, having held the office of Chief Financial Officer since 2006. Previously, Mr. Larocque was Major’s VP Finance after rising in a series of roles with the Company. Through the period of geographic expansion for Major Drilling that saw it grow from a privately owned Canadian company to a publicly traded multinational, Mr. Larocque was involved in acquisitions and branch office setups in countries on every continent. Mr. Larocque holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Laval University and received his Chartered Accountant designation in 1991.
David Balser
Mr. Balser obtained his Chartered Accounting designation in 1991. He joined the Major Drilling group in 2004, after 14 years of experience in public practice as well as in the manufacturing and construction industries. He has been involved in Major’s financial reporting, treasury, and acquisition activities, and has built an intimate knowledge of the Company’s domestic and international drilling operations. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mount Allison University.
Kelly Johnson
Mr. Johnson brings over 40 years experience in the drilling industry. He began his career in 1978 with Midwest Drilling where he was employed until its acquisition by Major Drilling in 1998. He has held numerous positions within the Major Drilling group including Global Inventory Manager, General Manager of Canadian Operations, Vice President Latin American and West African Operations and his current position as Senior VP Operations – North America and Africa.
Ashley Martin
Mr. Martin has worked exclusively in the drilling services industry since graduating from the Mineral Technology Program at CNA in 1995. Mr. Martin has held various technical positions with Voisey’s Bay Nickel (INCO/Vale) before joining Major Drilling Group in 2001. For the past 17 years, he has held various management positions within the company including General Manager of Canadian Operations. Most recently, he held the role of Regional Manager for South America as he transitioned into his current position as VP Operations – South America.
John Ross (JR) Davies
Mr. Davies has worked in the drilling industry continuously since 1989 after completing mechanical and engineering studies in Perth, Western Australia. He has held various field and management positions in several different countries globally gathering hands on knowledge of a very diverse range of drilling services. Initially starting with Pontil Pty Ltd before it was acquired by Major Drilling in 1996; his most recent position with Major Drilling was Regional General Manager - Asia.
Ben Graham
Mr. Graham joined Major Drilling in 2007 after 10 years of experience in the construction industry. He has worked in a variety of positions and was most recently the Global Human Resource & Environmental Health and Safety Director. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the Goddard School of Business and Economics at Weber State University and is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).
Marc Landry
Mr. Landry joined Major Drilling in 2005 and held the position of Corporate Controller prior to his current role. He is a Certified Management Accountant and holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Université de Moncton. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Landry worked in public accounting and in the manufacturing industry.
Andrew McLaughlin
Mr. McLaughlin joined Major Drilling in 2015 after nine years with Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs. He served as a diplomat in the Canadian Embassies in Mexico and Cuba, and as a lawyer in the International Law Branch. Prior to joining the foreign service, Mr. McLaughlin worked as a lawyer in private practice. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Mount Allison University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick and a Masters in International Business Law from the University of London (UCL/QMUL).