Brazzaville: Franc Mouzabakani Kiesse has been appointed Director General for the Upstream Petroleum Sector for the Republic of Congo. Appointed by presidential decree on June 18 and officially installed on July 9, Kiesse assumes one of the country's most important energy leadership positions as Congo works toward increased crude production while expanding investment across its oil and gas sector.
According to African Press Organization, Kiesse will work alongside Minister of Hydrocarbons Stev Simplice Onanga, playing a central role in translating the government's upstream ambitions into execution. His appointment brings together the Ministry's strategic vision with decades of technical, commercial, and institutional experience, strengthening the government's ability to work closely with operators, investors, and the SNPC to accelerate project delivery and unlock new opportunities across the sector.
Kiesse has outlined a clear strategic agenda centered on protecting national interests while improving the competitiveness of the Congolese upstream sector. His priorities include strengthening government oversight of exploration and production activities, tightening project monitoring, and auditing petroleum development costs submitted by operators. He also pledged to maximize the state's returns from upstream projects through stronger regulatory oversight. Kiesse emphasized promoting local content by expanding opportunities for Congolese companies and skilled professionals throughout the oil and gas value chain. He also identified the continued development of the SNPC as a priority, aiming to build a stronger and more competitive national oil company.
These priorities come at a pivotal time for Congo's upstream sector as the country pursues one of Africa's most ambitious upstream expansion programs. The government has established a production target of 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) over the coming years, supported by new offshore discoveries, brownfield redevelopment programs, legislative reforms, and increased investment in natural gas infrastructure. Achieving this objective will require close collaboration between government institutions and international operators while ensuring projects are delivered efficiently and generate maximum value for the Congolese economy.
With a professional journey that has provided experience across every level of Congo's upstream sector, Kiesse is well-positioned to support these efforts. He has built a career that spans engineering, project development, government relations, and commercial strategy. Kiesse spent more than a decade with TotalEnergies, progressing from Field Operations Engineer to Lead Process Engineer at the company's Paris headquarters before returning to Congo to lead process studies, manage deepwater development projects, and oversee joint ventures and government relations. In these roles, he worked closely with major partners, including SNPC, Eni, Chevron, and Woodside Energy, while supervising production sharing contracts, joint venture negotiations, and regulatory engagement.
Kiesse later joined Perenco Congo as a Director of Joint Ventures and Government Relations, where he managed strategic partnerships and negotiations with government authorities before becoming Director of Business Development and Institutional Relations at AMMAT Global Resources. Across these positions, he developed extensive experience working with both international operators and national institutions, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the commercial, technical, and regulatory dynamics shaping Congo's petroleum industry.
An electrical engineer trained at the Ecole National Sup©rieure Polytechnique in Brazzaville, Kiesse also holds a Master's degree in Economics and Management from the Universit di Corsica Pasquale Paoli and an MBA from DGC Congo.
His appointment comes as investment activity continues to accelerate across the country. TotalEnergies is advancing a $500-$600 million drilling campaign following the Moho G discovery, while development progresses under the $23 billion Bango Kayo, Holmoni, and Cayo agreement. Independent operators, including Perenco, Trident Energy, and PetroNor, continue to expand production through new infrastructure and brownfield optimization, supporting the government's long-term production objectives.
A major step toward strengthening upstream governance, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) welcomes this appointment as a core strategic milestone in reinforcing the country's position as one of Africa's leading oil and gas investment destinations. NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of AEC, expressed optimism that Kiesse's appointment marks the beginning of an even closer partnership between government and industry, emphasizing that Congo's priority now is execution. With Minister Onanga setting the strategic direction and experienced leaders like Kiesse driving implementation, the country is well-positioned to unlock its next phase of upstream growth.
The Chamber believes Kiesse's combination of technical expertise, private sector experience, and government relations will strengthen the implementation of Congo's upstream strategy. By supporting Minister Onanga's agenda, advancing local content, fostering closer cooperation between government and industry, and maintaining an attractive investment environment, his leadership is expected to play an important role in making Congo an even more attractive destination for energy investment.