Houston-based Marathon Oil has chosen Kimberly Warnica, the former general counsel at Alta Mesa Resources, to replace Reginald Hedgebeth as its new general counsel.
This will be Warnica’s second stint with Marathon Oil. Her first day on the job was Monday, Jan. 11.
A 1998 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Warnica practiced law for nearly eight years at Andrews Kurth – now Hunton Andrews Kurth – before going in-house with Freeport-McMoRan Oil and Gas in 2006 as assistant general counsel.
After a decade at Freeport-McMoRan, Warnica jumped to Marathon Oil in 2016 to be the energy company’s assistant general counsel – a position she held for 18 months.
In April 2018, Alta Mesa hired Warnica as its new general counsel. During her nearly three-year stint at Alta Mesa, she helped guide the company through Chapter 11 bankruptcy and restructuring.
“We are pleased to welcome Kim back to Marathon Oil leading our legal function,” said Marathon Oil Chairman and CEO Lee Tillman. “Kim’s experience in the energy industry and her extensive leadership experience will be a complement to our legal team and the Company. We look forward to her contributions.”
Warnica joins a Marathon Oil leadership team that lists eight white men in the top executive posts.
Hedgebeth, who resigned in December for reasons that have not been made public, was the only African American on Marathon Oil’s executive leadership group.