Remember Jean-Christian Bergeron, or maybe you have not even heard of him?
Well, Jean-Christian is the Chief Executive Officer of Rubis Energy Company, one of the leading oil companies in Kenya, formerly known as Kenol Kobil.
Bergeron was deported from the country by the former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration under controversial circumstances. He jetted back in October last year, and has been quietly running affairs in the oil company.
Jean-Christian Bergeron was ordered to leave the country in April 2022 after public outcry over fuel shortages. His work permit was also revoked.
As reported by the Business Daily, the Rubis CEO came back to Kenya shortly after the swearing in of President William Ruto.
Whether by design or default, Mr. Bergeron has kept a low profile since his return; but he is firmly in control of Rubis Kenya. He has intentionally kept off public meetings held by the Petroleum Institute of East Africa (PIEA), and goes to the company’s head office in Nairobi only occasionally.
EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo confirmed that Mr. Bergeron is in the country, and has no intention of regulating the CEO’s presence or activities in the country.
The deportation of Jean-Christian has raised questions over the fuel crisis that affected the country in 2022. It is widely rumoured that Bergeron was frustrating the regulator’s efforts to squeeze oil companies through subsidies.
However, the popular view was that the French national was deported for selling more petroleum products in neighboring countries, which fetched more profits at the time. His actions were touted to be the major cause for the shortage of oil in the country.
Does anyone really know anything? Well, Finance-Notes Bulletin knows that Jean-Christian Bergeron is in the country and continues to hold his executive role at Rubis Kenya Ltd. For how long, only time will tell.