By Ash Patel – CDMP – Certified Copywriter (CMP) – CDMA, Marketing Specialist, The Open Group
During The Open Group Amsterdam Summit in May 2025, we were thrilled to announce the winners of the Spring 2025 OSDU® Forum Outstanding Contribution Awards.
The full list of awards and winners can be found below:
Technical Achievement
Awarded to Chad Brockman [Google], Daniel Perna [EPAM], Hein Kristiansen
[AWS], and Marc Burnie [AWS].
OSDU Advancement
Einar Landre [Equinor] and Tim Hunter-Rowe [bp]
Team Leadership
Ashish Saxena [Accenture], Leigh Slattery [Chevron], and Yauhen Shaliou
[EPAM]
Community Recognition
Ian Betts [Shell], Chad Leong [SLB], Pierrick Gaudin [TotalEnergies], and Rustam Lotsmanenko [EPAM]
After The Open Group Amsterdam Summit, I caught up with some of the award winners where they spoke about how they felt winning their respective awards.
Tim Hunter-Rowe, one of the winners of the OSDU Advancement award:
“I feel incredibly honoured to have received an outstanding contribution award from the OSDU Forum. This recognition is not only a personal milestone but also a reflection of the collaborative spirit and innovation that define the work we do. Being acknowledged by the OSDU community reinforces the importance of open data standards and the value of driving interoperability and efficiency across the energy sector. I’m proud to contribute to this shared vision and grateful for the support of my colleagues and peers who’ve made this work so rewarding. I’m excited about what lies ahead and look forward to continuing our journey to Venus and beyond!”
Einar Landre, one of the winners of the OSDU Advancement award:
“To be called on stage to receive the Forum advancement award came as a big surprise and I must say a great honor. I have been part of the OSDU Forum since 2019 and I know all the hard work that is being put into it from so many good people over the years. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to work with so many great individuals and to be part of creating something of substance that in many ways will, I believe, change the oil and gas industry for ever. How the long-term change will materialize we do not know, but combining open-source software with standardization is an approach that is applicable for any sector.
Though the award was given me, I feel that this is an award to all of us that make the Forum into what it is. I will also use the opportunity to thank my fellow colleagues at Equinor for their endless engagement and support moving the OSDU Data Platform forward.”
Ashish Saxena, one of the winners of the Team Leadership award:
“I am truly humbled and honored to receive the Team Leadership Award from the OSDU Forum community. This recognition is deeply meaningful and a moment of great pride for me. It is a tribute to everyone who has been part of the External Data Service (EDS) journey. Your passion, resilience, and spirit of collaboration have been instrumental in achieving this milestone. I am proud to have walked this path with such dedicated and inspiring individuals. While I regret not being able to receive the award in person, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the OSDU Forum and the wider community. Being recognized by peers in a community I greatly enjoy working with is truly special. Thank you for this incredible honor.”
Chad Leong, one of the winners of the Community Recognition award:
“Having worked with the community for the last four years, it has been my great honor to serve as the PMC Chair. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together during this time. I’ve had the privilege of leading over 15 milestone releases of our platform—each one a testament to the collaboration and dedication of the entire team. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from so many fantastic members of the Forum and to contribute to the growth of the OSDU Forum in meaningful ways. Thank you for the recognition award—it truly means a lot to me.”
Finally, congratulations to all those who were nominated and to the winners of the OSDU Forum Outstanding Contributor Awards. Thank you to the jury for their time to review and select the winners. Thank you also to the nominators, as the success of the OSDU Forum is built upon the efforts and contributions from everyone.
Ash Patel – CDMP- Certified Copywriter (CMP) – CDMA, Marketing Specialist, joined The Open Group in 2020, initially working in the Certification Team as a Certification Services Agent, before moving into the Marketing Team where he now works on marketing collateral, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and produces/ hosts The Open Group Open Comments Podcast. Ash holds a First-Class Bachelor’s Degree in Media Production (BA hons) from Coventry University. He is based in the UK.
