Riley Exploration Permian Names Bobby Saadati Independent Director to Boost M&A and Operations

Riley Elevates M&A and Operations Expertise with New Independent Director

OKLAHOMA CITY — Riley Exploration Permian, Inc. names oil and gas executive Bobby Saadati as an independent member of its board of directors effective Feb. 4, 2026, in a move the company frames as strengthening its operational and strategic capacity in the Permian Basin. The appointment brings a senior industry executive to a growth-focused upstream operator that is expanding production and complementary infrastructure in Texas and New Mexico.

Saadati joins Riley with a track record in energy investing, operations, mergers and acquisitions and corporate strategy, the company says. He has led acquisitions and managed portfolios of producing assets and gas processing plants, and he has served as CEO of IKAV Energy USA since May 2020. His prior roles include chairman of Aera Energy, a directorship at California Resources Corporation, and leadership positions at Devon Energy, Jefferies and BP. Saadati holds a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego, a J.D. from Trinity Law School and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Riley’s chairman and chief executive, Bobby Riley, says the board is “very pleased” to add Saadati, and the company signals the hire is aimed at accelerating operational execution, asset integration and potential strategic transactions. Analysts and industry sources say adding an independent director with hands-on experience in gas processing and asset consolidation could help Riley navigate midstream tie-ins, optimize production economics and identify accretive acquisitions as it seeks to scale in the Permian Basin. The board addition also bolsters corporate governance as the company pursues its growth plan amid ongoing drilling and infrastructure development in the region.

Riley’s Texas-New Mexico Footprint

Riley Exploration Permian is a growth-oriented upstream oil and gas company operating in the Permian Basin with active drilling programs and infrastructure projects intended to complement field operations, including midstream and gas-processing links that can enhance netbacks and operational flexibility.

Company details and contact

Riley identifies itself as the source of the announcement and directs readers to its website, www.rileypermian.com, for more information. Investor inquiries are listed at 405-438-0126 and via email at [email protected].