Williams in Tulsa is about to come under the leadership of a new president and CEO as longtime leader Alan Armstrong is moving up as executive chairman of the company’s Board of Directors.
Taking his place as president is Chad Zamarin, currently executive vice president of Corporate Strategic Development. He will succeed him as president and CEO and will join the Williams board. Stephen Bergstrom, current chairman of the board, will transition to lead independent director.
Williams President and CEO Alan Armstrong will become executive chairman of the Williams Board of Directors effective July 1, 2025.
Bergstrom expressed the board’s support for this transition, stating, “Alan’s remarkable leadership and commitment to the mission, vision and values of Williams has been fundamental to the company’s success. On behalf of the board of directors and the entire company, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to Alan for his exceptional leadership as president and CEO for the past 14 years and for his dedication to Williams during his nearly four decades of service.”
Armstrong began with Williams as an engineer nearly 40 years ago and under his leadership, Williams achieved significant milestones, including remarkable growth and success. Notably, Armstrong honed the company’s natural gas focused strategy, with an emphasis on expanding Williams’ natural gas transmission, storage, gathering and processing infrastructure.
“As I look at where the company is today, Williams is excelling on all fronts thanks to a strong and energized organization that is very passionate and dedicated to our strategy and to doing the right thing. I have seen first-hand what this company can accomplish and overcome, and I am confident our best chapters are still ahead as demand for natural gas continues to accelerate and the value of our critical energy infrastructure is realized,” said Armstrong.
He called Zamarin “the right next leader for Williams.”
Since joining Williams in 2017, Zamarin has led the company’s expansion by guiding the corporate strategy process, delivering strategic acquisitions and providing commercial leadership across the company’s various businesses, geographies and customers. Under his leadership, the New Energy Ventures team has led the industry with innovative energy solutions, and its Power Innovation group is delivering speed-to-market solutions for growing data center demand.
“I am humbled to take on this new role as Williams’ president and CEO,” said Zamarin. “The story of Williams is that of one of the greatest American companies. Our company’s more than one-hundred-year track record of tackling some of the most complex infrastructure challenges is inspiring, and I look forward to building on that foundation. Alan has been an amazing mentor, leader and thought partner, and I’m grateful for the trust that he and the Williams Board of Directors have placed in me to carry Williams’ vision forward
Armstrong became President and Chief Executive Officer of Williams in January 2011. During his tenure, Williams has expanded its reach, currently handling one-third of all U.S. natural gas volumes, through gathering, processing, transportation and storage services. Prior to being named CEO, Armstrong led the company’s North American midstream and olefins businesses through a period of growth and expansion as Senior Vice President – Midstream. Previously, Armstrong served as Vice President of Gathering and Processing from 1999 to 2002; Vice President of Commercial Development from 1998 to 1999; Vice President of Retail Energy Services from 1997 to 1998 and Director of Commercial Operations for the company’s midstream business in the Gulf Coast region from 1995 to 1997. He joined Williams in 1986 as an engineer. Armstrong graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
About Chad Zamarin
Zamarin has served as Williams’ Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategic Development since 2023, responsible for leading the company’s strategy, business development and project analysis efforts, as well as providing oversight for Williams’ communications, upstream joint ventures, commodity marketing and New Energy Ventures activities. He joined Williams in 2017 as senior vice president of Corporate Strategic Development. Prior to joining Williams, Zamarin served as Senior Vice President and President, Pipeline and Midstream at Cheniere Energy, Inc. He also served in various executive roles at NiSource/Columbia Pipeline Group, including Chief Operating Officer at NiSource Midstream, LLC and NiSource Energy Ventures, LLC, as well as President of Pennant Midstream, LLC. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in materials engineering from Purdue University and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston.