Our team
A mission-driven team, combining decades of technology, operational and financial experience, with deep scientific expertise.

Talal Hasan
Chief Executive Officer

Talal Hasan
Chief Executive Officer
Talal is 44.01’s Founder and CEO. He has extensive international experience in venture capital and Cleantech, including helping to set up Oman’s venture capital arm. He has previously founded and exited several start-ups in Oman and the UK. His background is in corporate law with a focus on energy projects in Oman, UAE, and the UK.

Karan Khimji
Chief Commercial Officer

Karan Khimji
Chief Commercial Officer
Karan is 44.01’s co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer. A technical finance expert with experience in M&A and strategy consulting in the energy sector, Karan has advised a number of utilities and infrastructure funds across Europe and the Middle East in areas including renewable energy diversification, electricity and gas grid infrastructure, and energy retail.

Ehab Tasfai
Chief Technical Officer

Ehab Tasfai
Chief Technical Officer
Ehab is an automation engineer and water technology expert with experience in managing and executing industrial and manufacturing projects. Before founding 44.01, Ehab successfully led the adoption of CapDI water technology across the GCC region.

Juerg Matter
Head of Subsurface

Juerg Matter
Head of Subsurface
Juerg is Professor of Geoengineering and Carbon Management at the University of Southampton, and one of the world’s leading academics on mineralisation and enhanced weathering. Prior to 44.01, Juerg was one of the founders of Carbfix, and Project Director of the Oman Drilling Project.

Peter Kelemen
Scientific Adviser

Peter Kelemen
Scientific Adviser
Peter is one of the world’s leading experts on the chemical and physical processes of reaction between fluids and rocks and has spent decades studying mineralization in Oman. His research helped inspire our founders to establish 44.01 and he now advises the company on technological and project development. Outside 44.01, he is Arthur D. Storke Memorial Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DEES) at Columbia University; Adjunct Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; and Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History.

Sulaiman Al Mani
Engineering Officer

Sulaiman Al Mani
Engineering Officer
Sulaiman leads the development of our injection process, and the integration of Direct Air Capture technologies. A Chemical and Materials Engineer by background, he acts as a link between our various engineering teams, and focuses on optimising our process to ensure sustainability and efficiency.

Elham Kolahchian
Reservoir Officer

Elham Kolahchian
Reservoir Officer
Elham has over a decade of international experience in reservoir characterization and well construction. At 44.01 she manages design and execution of subsurface structure, as well as developing monitoring and verification plans for the mineralisation process. Prior to joining 44.01, Elham worked at SLB.

Sena Dorvlo
Carbon Officer

Sena Dorvlo
Carbon Officer
Sena joined 44.01 from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where he managed technology projects on behalf of the UK government in Oman. Before that, he spent eight years developing drilling technology and launched the region’s first drill bit manufacturing facility. At 44.01, Sena is responsible for civil and mechanical-related projects while acting as Health and Safety Executive. He is a chartered mechanical and structural engineer with an interest in quality management systems.

Tariq Mohammed
Operation Officer

Tariq Mohammed
Operation Officer
Tariq oversees the operation and maintenance of our site in Barka. He is a trained Chemical Engineer and an experienced production manager, with over 11 years’ experience at SUICI prior to joining 44.01.

Khalid al-Huraibi
Strategic Adviser

Khalid al-Huraibi
Strategic Adviser
Khalid advises 44.01 on strategic public and private sector relations. He was previously CEO of the SME Development Authority in Oman and has also worked with BP, Tawasul, and the US State Department. He is a Senior Adviser to the President of the Royal Academy of Management and founder of Impact Integrated, an emerging tech and sustainability start-up.

Sharon Sugden
Environmental Officer

Sharon Sugden
Environmental Officer
Sharon works within the Commercial team, focusing on the environmental aspects of our technology and process. Sharon has a degree in Biology and PhD in environmental biogeochemistry. She was previously a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam, working on an EU funded project looking at the effects of climate change on shrubland sites across Europe. She also worked for 2 years with Shell Global Expat Support Services.

James Woolner
Head of Business Development

James Woolner
Head of Business Development
James has spent his whole career commercialising IP-based climate technologies across various sectors globally. He has a background as a chemical and material engineer, is a Chartered chemical engineer (CEng, MIChemE), and has a masters from the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge.

Laura Hill
People Officer

Laura Hill
People Officer
Laura has extensive HR experience with international and national energy companies in the Middle East region and elsewhere. She has a particular focus on scaling teams, developing organisational culture, and supporting project delivery. At 44.01, Laura leads on attracting, engaging, and developing talent, and building a high-performance culture.

Charlie Booth
Head of Communications

Charlie Booth
Head of Communications
Charlie has worked with some of the world’s largest organisations on financial communications, advocacy, crisis communications and government relations. He was previously at corporate communications firm Brunswick, where his clients included EDF Energy, SWIFT, Thomson Reuters, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rolls Royce.