Raphael Vermeir CBE
Raphael Vermeir will be awarded the University Medal on Tuesday 2 December 2025 during the afternoon ceremony.
Raphael is an engineer and global energy executive whose career spans more than four decades across technical, operational and leadership roles in the international oil and gas industry.
Born in Belgium, Raphael graduated in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from the École Polytechnique in Brussels before completing Master of Science degrees in Engineering and Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
From 1979 to 2003, Raphael held engineering and managerial positions at ConocoPhillips. He subsequently served in senior executive roles, as Head of External Affairs from 2003 to 2011, President of Operations in Nigeria from 2011 to 2014, and Vice-President of Government Affairs International until 2015. During this time, he notably led the industry’s international response to the Macondo (Deepwater Horizon) environmental disaster.
In recognition of his expertise and leadership, Raphael was elected a Fellow of both the Energy Institute and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. He served as Chair of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers from 2008 to 2011, and as a Board Member of Oil Spill Response Limited.
Since 2022, he has been President of Malteser International, a global humanitarian organisation providing healthcare and relief to displaced and vulnerable communities in more than 35 countries. Raphael currently serves as Lead Independent Director of Eni, the Italian energy company.
His outstanding contributions to the energy sector were recognised in 2008 when he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
At the University of St Andrews, Raphael has been instrumental in shaping and sustaining the St Andrews Prize for the Environment since its establishment in 1998. Serving as a Trustee and judge from 2012 to 2021, he helped ensure the Prize’s continued success in recognising innovative, practical solutions to global environmental challenges.