Sparrows Group has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Matt Corbin as its regional operations director for the UK and Europe to support the company’s continued growth in the oil and gas, renewables and industrial sectors.

Corbin, who has more than 20 years’ experience working in the oil and gas industry, has held several leadership positions including UK managing director for the subsea division of Aker Solutions and UK regional general manger for GE Oil & Gas.

Most recently, he was supply chain consultant to the UK Government’s regulatory body, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) and contributed to Oil & Gas UK’s Efficiency Task Force. Corbin, who has been a board member of industry body Subsea UK since 2014, has also been supporting Scottish Enterprise’s ‘Grey Matters’ programme in an advisory capacity.

Based in Aberdeen, Corbin will lead the UK and European business operations for Sparrows. He will be responsible for maintaining its leading market share position in lifting operations and maintenance in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), while delivering further growth in sectors outside the oil and gas industry.

Corbin first entered the oil and gas arena in 1997 after gaining a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Brunel University. He has since held a variety of high level positions in production, project engineering, account management and concept design.

Sparrows chief executive officer, Stewart Mitchell, commented: "Matt has enjoyed a very successful career to date with an enviable track record of successes at some of the world’s biggest oil and gas service companies. His work with organisations such as the OGA and Oil & Gas UK demonstrate how highly respected he is by his peers and throughout the sector for his breadth of experience, knowledge and leadership qualities."