Executive Director & Chief Technical Officer

Bill Dirks is the Executive Director & Chief Technical Officer of AleAnna. With over 43 years of global exploration and production experience in the energy sector, he oversees oil and gas development projects in the U.S., Canada, and Italy, while managing strategy, operations, and technical execution. He previously held leadership roles at Sonde Resources Corporation, Tecton Energy, and Samson Canada, where he led significant acquisitions and operational expansions. Dirks also has a strong background in innovation, having served as CEO of Shell Technology Ventures, where he raised $120 million and launched multiple startups. A Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, he holds degrees in geology and civil engineering from Iowa State University.