Our Founder, Keith Magowan | CEng FIMechE
Keith Magowan is the Founder of Basalt Consulting, a firm specializing in fractional project leadership for complex, high-risk initiatives. With more than 27 years of global experience delivering large-scale programs and critical business transformations, Keith has built a reputation for bringing clarity, structure, and decisive leadership to projects where the stakes are highest.
Throughout his career, Keith has led some of the most complex and challenging projects across multiple industries, often stepping into environments facing significant delivery risk, operational pressure, or organizational uncertainty. He is particularly recognized for his ability to recover distressed projects, stabilize delivery teams, rebuild stakeholder confidence, and create a clear path forward when projects appear off track.
Keith’s leadership style is grounded in calm, practical decision-making and a strong focus on execution under pressure. Clients value his ability to quickly assess complex situations, establish trust with stakeholders, and provide experienced leadership at short notice during critical phases of delivery.
At Basalt Consulting, Keith partners with organizations that need experienced, hands-on leadership without the commitment of a full-time executive hire. His approach combines strategic oversight with operational discipline, helping businesses navigate complexity, manage risk, and successfully deliver outcomes that matter.
Keith believes that successful project leadership is not only about governance and delivery — it is about creating confidence, alignment, and momentum when organizations need it most.
My Approach
Every project environment is different, but the challenges at the critical moments are often the same — uncertainty, pressure, competing priorities, and a lack of clear direction. My role is to bring structure, focus, and momentum when organizations need it most.
I work by rapidly assessing the reality of a situation, cutting through unnecessary complexity, and helping teams focus on what will materially improve delivery outcomes. Whether stepping into a distressed project or supporting a critical transformation initiative, I provide hands-on leadership that is calm, pragmatic, and action-oriented.
I believe successful project leadership comes from creating clarity at every level — from executive stakeholders through to delivery teams. That means honest communication, decisive decision-making, clear accountability, and building confidence across the organization, particularly during high-pressure periods.
Rather than applying rigid methodologies for the sake of process, I focus on practical delivery leadership tailored to the environment, the risks, and the business objectives. My priority is always to stabilize, align, and move projects forward with confidence and control.
Clients engage Basalt Consulting when they need experienced leadership that can integrate quickly, operate effectively under pressure, and provide trusted guidance through complex delivery challenges.
Trusted By
Operators, EPC’s, Consultancies and National Oil Companies
Experience Matters
Over 27yrs of major capital project leadership for BP and Shell.
Internationally experienced leading projects in the USA, UK, Europe, North Africa, West Africa, Australia
Experience in Oil, Gas and New Energy Projects