Steven W. Williams

Chief Operating Officer
Suncor Energy

As chief operating officer, Steve's primary role is to oversee excellence in Suncor’s operations, while ensuring that a commitment to safe and sustainable development continues to be a Suncor hallmark.

Steve’s career with Suncor began in May 2002, when he was appointed executive vice president, corporate development and chief financial officer. In that role, he managed investor relations, finance and treasury, strategic planning and corporate development, and guided the company’s sustainable development initiatives and information technology strategies.

His most recent position was as executive vice president, Oil Sands. In this role he was responsible for leading Suncor’s oil sands operation through its next stage of growth. Suncor’s goal is to increase production capacity to 550,000 barrels per day in 2012.

Steve has 29 years of international energy industry experience in the areas of strategy development, company performance improvement, and refinery and chemical company management. He has also provided leadership in the areas of environment, health and safety, finance, sales and marketing, human resources, and information technology.

Before his appointment to Suncor, he was responsible for Octel Corp.'s global operation. He also managed the operation of the largest refinery in the U.K. for Esso.

Steve is a fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers and is a member of the Institute of Directors. He is chair of the Oil Sands Safety Association, as well as a member of the Environmental Protection Advisory Committee to the Alberta Environment Minister and an honorary board member of the Northern Lights Regional Hospital Foundation. In April 2005, then Prime Minister Paul Martin appointed Steve to the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, an independent advisory body that provides decision-makers, opinion leaders and the Canadian public with advice and recommendations on promoting sustainable development.

Steve holds a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Exeter University and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School as well as the Business Economics Program at Oxford University.