NextDecade Names Former CITGO CFO as LNG Expansion Advances

Former CITGO executive John Zuklic joins NextDecade as the LNG developer advances Rio Grande expansion plans.

(P&GJ) — NextDecade Corp. has appointed energy industry veteran John Zuklic as chief financial officer, effective July 6, as the company continues developing and expanding its Rio Grande LNG project in South Texas.

Zuklic succeeds interim CFO Mike Mott, who will return to his previous role as senior vice president of enterprise transformation.

Zuklic joins NextDecade from CITGO Petroleum, where he served as CFO since 2020 and oversaw the company's financial strategy, capital structure and treasury operations. He brings more than three decades of experience in the energy sector, including leadership roles at Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips.

According to NextDecade, Zuklic's background includes corporate finance, risk management, capital markets, treasury operations and large-scale business transformation initiatives.

"John brings extensive experience managing finance organizations in capital-intensive energy businesses," CEO Matt Schatzman said in a statement. He added that the company is preparing for its next phase of growth as it evolves from an LNG developer into an LNG operating company.

NextDecade is advancing additional expansion phases at its Rio Grande LNG export facility, one of the largest LNG development projects currently underway on the U.S. Gulf Coast.