Director Bios

Member of the Charitable Contributions Committee, Environmental, Health and Safety Committee, and Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee (Chair)

Secretary Abraham is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Abraham Group, an international strategic consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. Since 2005, he has been a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, a public policy research center headquartered at Stanford University devoted to the study of politics, economics and political economy as well as international affairs. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate prior to President Bush selecting him as the tenth Secretary of Energy in U.S. history. During his tenure at the Energy Department from 2001 through January 2005, he developed policies and regulations to ensure the nation's energy security, was responsible for the U.S. strategic petroleum reserves, oversaw domestic oil and gas development policy and developed relationships with international governments, including members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Secretary Abraham's nearly two decades of service at the highest levels of domestic and international policy and politics shaped the insights he brings to Occidental's Board of Directors. Secretary Abraham holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. Secretary Abraham also is a director of ICx Technologies and serves as the non-executive chairman of AREVA, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of the French-owned nuclear company. He also serves on the boards or advisory committees of several private companies: C3, Deepwater Wind, PetroTiger, Green Rock Energy, Duet India Infrastructure Ltd. and MPE. Secretary Abraham is a trustee of the Churchill Center.

Qualifications: As a former U.S. Senator and former U.S. Secretary of Energy who directed all aspects of the country’s energy strategy, Secretary Abraham provides the Board unique insight into public policy and energy-related issues. In addition, Secretary Abraham is a Harvard-trained attorney who, while directing the Energy Department, oversaw a budget of nearly $24 billion (FY 2005) and was responsible for the management of senior department personnel. Secretary Abraham’s legal training, and his government service managing complex policy, personnel and strategic issues provide Occidental with exceptional knowledge and perspective in areas including health, environment and safety, strategy and policy, personnel management and community relations.

Member of the Audit Committee, Corporate Governance, Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee, Executive Committee, Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee, and Finance and Risk Management Committee (Chair)

Mr. Chalsty is a principal and Chairman of Muirfield Capital Management LLC, an asset management firm. Before joining Muirfield in 2002, he served as Senior Advisor to Credit Suisse First Boston during 2001; was Chairman of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc. (DLJ), an investment banking firm, from 1996 through 2000; and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer from 1986 to 1996. After graduating from Harvard Business School, he went to work in 1957 for Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (now ExxonMobil) in the United States and Europe, before joining DLJ in 1969 as an oil analyst. In addition to leading investment firms, he was vice chairman of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), past president of the New York Society of Security Analysts and Director of the Financial Analysts Federation. Mr. Chalsty is a Trustee Emeritus of Columbia University and Director of Lincoln Center Theatre.

Qualifications: Mr. Chalsty has extensive experience and a distinguished career in the financial services and oil and gas industries. Mr. Chalsty has been a successful investment executive, having run one of America’s most highly regarded investment banking firms. As a Harvard Business School-trained executive, he is a recognized financial strategic counselor and investor, having served as Vice Chairman of the NYSE; and as a former oil company and independent financial analyst. This experience demonstrates his qualifications to be one of Occidental’s audit committee financial experts. Mr. Chalsty’s combination of oil and gas industry experience and management expertise, coupled with his financial market insight, bring exceptional acumen to the Board.

Mr. Chazen has been the President and Chief Financial Officer of Occidental Petroleum Corporation since 2007. Prior to being named President and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Chazen was CFO and Senior Executive Vice President from 2004 to 2007, CFO and Executive Vice President-Corporate Development from 1999 to 2004, and Executive Vice President-Corporate Development from 1994 to 1999. Prior to joining Occidental, Mr. Chazen was a Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Chazen has been a member of the boards of Lyondell Chemical Company, Premcor Inc. and Washington Mutual, Inc. Mr. Chazen holds a Ph.D. in Geology from Michigan State University, a master's degree in Finance from the University of Houston and a bachelor's degree in Geology from Rutgers College.

Qualifications: Mr. Chazen has implemented the company's acquisition and divestiture strategy, which has been a key feature in Occidental's transformation into a major oil and gas company. As CFO, he has been responsible for the overall financial management of the company and, as President, he has had significant operational management responsibilities. Additionally, Mr. Chazen has been a successful executive in the financial services industry. This financial and management expertise, coupled with his more than thirty years of experience in the oil and gas industry, demonstrate the valuable expertise and perspective that he brings to the Board.

Member of the Charitable Contributions Committee, Corporate Governance, Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee, Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee, and Environmental, Health and Safety Committee

Ambassador Djerejian is the founding Director of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. His career in public service has spanned the administrations of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and William J. Clinton. During the Reagan Administration, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, as Deputy Chief of the U.S. mission to the Kingdom of Jordan and as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the White House. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic from 1988 to 1991 under Presidents Reagan and Bush, and then served Presidents Bush and Clinton as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs from 1991 to 1993. President Clinton named him U.S. Ambassador to Israel in 1993. Ambassador Djerejian was a Senior Advisor to the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel mandated by the Congress to assess the current and prospective situation in Iraq in 2006. Ambassador Djerejian is a director of Baker Hughes, Inc., where he is a member of the governance and compensation committees, and Global Industries, Ltd, where he is Chairman of the Governance Committee.

Qualifications: Ambassador Djerejian is a leading expert on the complex political, security, economic, religious and ethnic issues of the Middle East. His experience brings valuable insight that enhances the Board's ability to assess operations and business opportunities in the company’s important Middle East/North Africa region. Throughout his career, he has developed an in-depth knowledge of the political and economic landscape in the United States and in the Middle East, and expertise in foreign policy, geopolitics of energy and corporate governance. He serves on several public and nonprofit boards.

Member of the Audit Committee, Environmental, Health and Safety Committee, Executive Committee, and Finance and Risk Management Committee

Mr. Feick is the Chairman and a major stockholder of Matrix Solutions Inc., a provider of environmental remediation and reclamation services. He also serves as Chairman and a partner in Kemex Engineering Services, Ltd., which offers engineering and design services to the petrochemical, refining and gas processing industries. From 1984 to 1994, Mr. Feick was President and Chief Operating Officer of Novacor Chemicals, a subsidiary of Nova Corporation. He serves on the Board of Directors of Fort Chicago Energy Partners LP, of which he is Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Governance Committee, as well as on the Board of Directors of Graham Construction.

Qualifications: Mr. Feick possesses a deep understanding of both the oil and gas and chemicals industries along with broad experience in environmental compliance and remediation. As President and Chief Operating Officer of NOVA Chemicals, he was responsible for the company's investments and operations and established the company as a leader in plant reliability, utilization rates, occupational health and safety, and environmental performance in North America. In addition, Mr. Feick has served as chairman of a company specializing in environmental services and led an oil and gas and petrochemicals specialty engineering firm. In addition to industry knowledge and expertise, Mr. Feick’s experience brings the Board exceptionally valuable insight into the environmental, health and safety area.

Member of the Environmental, Health and Safety Committee, and Finance and Risk Management Committee

Secretary Gutierrez is the Chairman of the Global Political Strategies division of APCO Worldwide Inc., a global communications and public affairs consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. From February 2005 to January 2009, Secretary Gutierrez served as head of the U.S. Department of Commerce under President George W. Bush. Prior to his government service, Secretary Gutierrez was with the Kellogg Company for 30 years. He became Kellogg's President in 1999 and was Chairman of the Board from 2000 to 2005. He is a member of the boards of United Technologies, Corning Incorporated and Lightning Science Group. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the University of Miami, Secretary Gutierrez is a visiting scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami and a member of the board of ImmigrationWorks USA, an organization dedicated to achieving comprehensive immigration reform.

Qualifications: Secretary Gutierrez’s highly successful service as President and Chairman of Kellogg Company provides him deep insight into the complex challenges faced by a growing organization in a highly competitive business environment. Additionally, his experience as U.S. Secretary of Commerce provides the Board exceptional knowledge and insight into the complex environment of international commerce. Secretary Gutierrez brings valuable business management and operational experience, international commerce and experienced global economic perspective to the Board.

Member of the Executive Committee (Chair)

Dr. Ray R. Irani has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Occidental Petroleum Corporation since 1990 and held the additional title of President from 2005 to 2007. He has been a Director of the company since 1984, and served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Occidental from 1984 to 1990. Dr. Irani joined the company in 1983 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Occidental Chemical Corporation. He served as Chairman of the Board of Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd. (now Nexen Inc.) from 1987 to 1999. Prior to working for Occidental, Dr. Irani was President, Chief Operating Officer and a Director of Olin Corporation. Dr. Irani is a director of the American Petroleum Institute and serves on the boards of directors of The TCW Group and Wynn Resorts. He is a Trustee of the University of Southern California and Chairman of USC’s Board Personnel Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Board of the American University of Beirut.

Qualifications: Since becoming Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Occidental Petroleum Corporation in 1990, Dr. Irani has built Occidental into the fourth-largest oil and gas company in the United States, based on equity market capitalization. His distinguished professional, educational and career experience led him to transform Occidental from a conglomerate of unrelated business entities into a major oil and gas and chemical company and, as described below beginning on page 17, he continues to motivate superior performance. Dr. Irani has developed extensive personal relationships with government leaders throughout the Middle East/North Africa and across the world. Under his leadership, Occidental has earned respect for its integrity, acuity and capabilities, creating opportunities for growth in the company’s core regions.

Member of the Audit Committee, Charitable Contributions Committee, and Executive Committee

From 1992 until 1998, Mr. Maloney was President and Chief Executive Officer of Dataproducts Corporation, which designs, manufactures and markets printers and supplies for computers. He joined Dataproducts in 1988 and was elected President and Chief Operating Officer in October 1991. Mr. Maloney previously served for three years as an Executive Vice President of Contel Corporation and President of Contel's information systems sector; was General Manager of Harris Corporation's customer support and national accounts divisions; and spent 27 years in various management positions with IBM, including Vice President of Western Field Operations. He was affiliated with the Center for Corporate Innovation.

Qualifications: Mr. Maloney’s extensive leadership and career with innovative companies in the technology sector provide the Board valuable expertise and perspective applicable to Occidental’s employment of complex technology applications in its worldwide operations. Mr. Maloney’s business management experience at large companies also provides valuable insight into fiscal management, personnel issues and effective community relations strategies. This experience provides him perspective that is valuable in helping to guide the development of forward-thinking policies that further Occidental’s strategic business goals, leading to outstanding performance.

Member of the Audit Committee, Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee, and Finance and Risk Management Committee

Mr. Poladian is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Lowe Enterprises, Inc., a diversified national real estate company active in commercial, residential and hospitality property investment, management and development. In this role, Mr. Poladian oversees human resources, risk management, construction, finance and legal functions across the firm. Mr. Poladian previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer for Lowe from 2003 to 2006. Mr. Poladian was with Arthur Andersen from 1974 to 2002 and is a certified public accountant (inactive). He is a past member of the Young Presidents Organization, the Chief Executive Organization, the California Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. Mr. Poladian is a director of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles and a former Trustee of Loyola Marymount University. He serves as a director of Western Asset Funds (Western Asset Income Fund, Western Asset Premier Bond Fund and Western Asset Funds, Inc.). He was a director of California Pizza Kitchen through May 2008.

Qualifications: As a certified public accountant with extensive business experience, Mr. Poladian qualifies as one of Occidental’s audit committee financial experts and provides the Board expert perspective in financial management and analysis. Having served in a senior management position at one of the world’s leading accounting firms, combined with his experience as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of a diversified real estate company, Mr. Poladian has deep knowledge of key business issues, including personnel and asset utilization, in addition to all aspects of fiscal management.

Member of the Charitable Contributions Committee, Corporate Governance, Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee, Environmental, Health and Safety Committee (Chair), Executive Committee, Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee, and Finance and Risk Management Committee

Mr. Segovia is a Director and serves on the Executive Committee of Inversiones Sanford, a diversified investment group with emphasis in specialty chemicals and plastics, with which he has been affiliated since 1965. He is a former President of the Colombian national oil company (Ecopetrol) and President and Chief Executive Officer of Polipropileno del Caribe, S.A., a manufacturer of polypropylene. He was a Senator of the Republic of Colombia from 1990 to 1993 and the Minister of Public Works and Transportation from 1985 to 1986. He was President of Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos from 1982 to 1985 and prior to that spent 17 years with Petroquimica Colombiana, S.A. in a number of management positions, including President. Mr. Segovia is a Trustee of the University of Andes and serves on the Global Council of Lehigh University, where he was a visiting professor. While a scholar and resident at Lehigh, he presented a public address entitled “The Oxy Story: From the Brink to Excellence.” He is a member of the Colombian Academy of History. Mr. Segovia is a recipient of the Colombia Distinguished Engineers Award and the Order of Merit of the French Republic.

Qualifications: As former President of Colombia’s national oil company and with extensive expertise in the chemicals industry, Mr. Segovia provides the Board strategic insight into the management and acquisition strategies of both Occidental's oil and gas and chemicals businesses. His extensive experience as a former lawmaker and distinguished business leader in Colombia includes management leadership of large organizations specializing in petrochemicals. Mr. Segovia provides the Board valuable insight and counsel on issues and strategy in the Americas region, where Occidental has significant oil and gas operations, as well as significant insight gained from his financial management, policy, environmental and social issues management expertise in both the private and public sector.

Member of the Audit Committee (Chair), Corporate Governance, Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee, and Executive Committee

Mr. Syriani is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Olayan Group, a global, diversified trading, services and investment organization that operates more than 40 businesses and financial enterprises. He has been with The Olayan Group since 1974 and helped it become one of the world's largest privately held companies, in terms of shareholder equity. Mr. Syriani was named President and Chief Operating Officer in 1978 and Chief Executive Officer in 2002. Born in Lebanon, Mr. Syriani received an accounting degree from the American University of Beirut, followed by French and Lebanese law degrees in 1965 from the University of St. Joseph, an affiliate of the University of Lyon. Following five years of legal practice in Beirut, he obtained his LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School in 1972. He practiced law in New York and Beruit before joining The Olayan Group. From 1974-1976 he served on the Board of American Express Middle East Development Company, the Lebanese subsidiary of American Express. Mr. Syriani is a director of The Credit Suisse Group, where he was Chairman of the Audit Committee from April 2002 until April 2004, and since April 2004 has been Chairman of its Compensation Committee.

Qualifications: Mr. Syriani's experience both leading and serving on the board of successful global organizations brings broad and extensive international business and corporate governance acumen to the Board and, in particular, to his role as Lead Independent Director. With extensive experience as President and CEO of one of the world’s leading trading, services and investment organizations, directing all aspects of its business, Mr. Syriani provides unique global market insight to the Board. Mr. Syriani’s educational and professional experience in the Middle East/North Africa, the Americas and Europe, his Harvard legal training, and his broad experience in business organization leadership provide the Board a knowledgeable, acculturated global perspective that helps to effectively shape Occidental’s worldwide growth and governance strategies.

Member of the Audit Committee, Charitable Contributions Committee (Chair), Corporate Governance, Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee (Chair), Environmental, Health and Safety Committee, Executive Committee, and Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee

Miss Tomich is owner of the Hope Cattle Company and the A. S. Tomich Construction Company. Additionally, she is Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Livestock Clearing, Inc. and was a founding Director of the Palm Springs Savings Bank. Miss Tomich serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and the Board of Councillors for the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California and is a Trustee Emeritus of the Salk Institute.

Qualifications: Miss Tomich’s experience in the construction and commodity-based arenas, as well as in the social cause arena, give her insight into matters critical to asset development, corporate governance and human relations strategy, policy and practice. Miss Tomich's extensive experience as an ardent advocate for community, social, minority and women’s causes has contributed to the Board an important perspective and understanding that is highly valued in today’s business environment. Occidental also benefits from the keen insights gained from Miss Tomich’s service on the boards of social, cultural and educational institutions, which enables her to provide strategic counsel to the Board on governance and human relations policies.

Member of the Audit Committee, Corporate Governance, Nominating and Social Responsibility Committee, Environmental, Health and Safety Committee, and Finance and Risk Management Committee

Mr. Weisman was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Medical International, a multinational hospital firm, until his retirement in 1998. Since then, Mr. Weisman has used his expertise in leading a global company to guide his private investments, volunteer activities and service on numerous business and non-profit boards of directors. Mr. Weisman is a Board Director of Fresenius Medical Care AG, for which he chairs the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee. He also is Chairman of the Board of the Sundance Institute and a Senior Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the California Institute of Technology, where he serves on a number of committees, including the Institute's Oversight Committee for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He previously served as Chairman of Maguire Properties Inc., an owner, developer and manager of office properties in Southern California, and is a past Chairman of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, on which he continues to serve as a Life Trustee.

Qualifications: As a former chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Weisman has expertise in corporate resource maximization and a depth of understanding in governance, financial management, risk management and health-related matters. In addition, the Board benefits from Mr. Weisman’s experience as a trustee of respected business, educational, intellectual and community service organizations. This provides added perspective into strategic business issues and maintaining entrepreneurial spirit, while focusing on people, profit and performance.