Leadership at the Maguire Energy Institute

Leadership Team

Bruce Bullock, Director Bruce Bullock

Bruce Bullock, Director

Bruce Bullock serves as director of the Maguire Energy Institute, where he oversees the study of management, marketing and policy issues related to the energy industry. He frequently provides expertise on oil, gas and other energy industries. He and the Institute play a key role in the Texas-based Gulf Project initiative, and he has been quoted frequently on issues related to the Gulf oil spill.

See Bruce Bullock's full bio

Xavier Tison, Director of Energy Innovation

Xavier Tison is the Director of Energy Innovation at the Institute, joining in 2021 after a twenty-year career in the energy industry. Tison has an MBA from the Cox School of Business and both a Masters and a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from SMU Lyle School of Engineering. Xavier's global experience in the energy sector, as well as his entrepreneurial drive make him an ideal ambassador for Cox, the Institute, and students.

See Xavier Tison's full bio
Kumar Venkataraman

Kumar Venkataraman, Academic Director

The James M. Collins Chair in Finance and Cary M. Maguire Chair of Oil and Gas Management, Dr. Venkataraman is the recipient of university-wide awards for excellence in both teaching and research. He has published internationally, with bylines in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Business Week and beyond, and has worked on government consulting projects and served as expert witness in litigation involving trading strategies and price manipulation.

See Kumar Venkataraman's full bio

Advisory Board

The Maguire Energy Institute encourages the study of management, marketing, and policy issues related to the energy industry.

The Institute is guided by a multi-disciplinary Board of Advisors who provide input and support for the the Institute's programs, curricula and annual agenda.

Advisory Board Members

  • Bobby B. Lyle, Chairman, Board of Advisors, Chairman, President and CEO, Lyco Holdings Incorporated
  • Greg L. Armstrong, Chairman and CEO,
  • Renato T. Bertani, President and CEO, Barra Energia
  • Rhys J. Best, CEO and Chairman, , Retired
  • Pat S. Bolin, Executive Chairman,
  • W. Bruce Bullock, Director, Maguire Energy Institute, SMU Cox School of Business
  • Karl R. Butler, President and CEO, 
  • Josh Camp, President and CEO,
  • Victor G. Carrillo, Executive Director, Professional Responsibility & Government Relations at International Leadership of Texas
  • William A. Custard, President of Dallas Production Company Inc., Pitts Energy Group
  • Steve Estes, Partner at US Advisory Lead,
  • Gary C. Evans, Chairman and CEO,
  • Michael Friezo, CEO,
  • Amb. Antonio Garza (Retired), Counsel, , Mexico City
  • James A. Gibbs, Chairman,
  • Forrest E. Hoglund, President, Hoglund Interests 
  • Matt Hornbach, Professor of Geophysics, SMU Huffington Dept. of Earth Sciences
  • Albert Hrubetz, President, Hrubetz Oil Company
  • Will Hundley, Vice President,
  • Ray L. Hunt, Chairman, President and CEO,
  • Bill Keffer, Professor of Practice and Director of Energy Law, Texas Tech University of Law
  • Michael LaMotte, Senior Management Director, Investment Banking,
  • Kyle Miller, President and CEO,
  • Patrick M. Murray, CEO, Dresser Inc., Retired
  • Matthew Myers, Dean, SMU Cox School of Business
  • Erle A. Nye, Chairman Emeritus,
  • Joseph Omoworare, Managing Director,
  • Timothy Perry, Managing Partner,
  • Bryan Sheffield, Managing Partner,
  • Scott D. Sheffield, Chairman and CEO,
  • Jeff Shorter, VP of Corporate Development,
  • Julio Tamacas, Treasurer, ExxonMobil Exploration Company
  • Xavier Tison, Associate Director, Maguire Energy Institute, SMU Cox School of Business
  • Kumar Venkataraman, James M. Collins Chair in Finance, SMU Cox School of Business
  • Bernard L. Weinstein, Associate Director, Maguire Energy Institute, SMU Cox School of Business
  • James K. Wicklund, Managing Director,
  • George M. Yates, Chairman and CEO,