Eric Anthony Williams is a distinguished geoscientist, public servant, and international energy consultant whose career spans over forty years of excellence in petroleum and mineral exploration, public policy, and advisory services. A proud alumnus of Queen’s Royal College (QRC), Williams’ early promise was evident through his academic discipline, leadership as a School Prefect, and athletic prowess, as he represented the College in rugby and football.

At QRC, he was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Cadet Force, demonstrating his leadership capabilities from a young age. Learning Map Reading in the Cadet Force sparked his interest in Geography, which in turn led him to pursue a career in the Geosciences. Williams earned a BSc in Geology with a major in Exploration Geophysics from the University of Houston. At university, he emerged as a student leader, serving as Vice President of the International Students’ Association and in the University Students’ Association as a Student Senator and later as a Member of the Executive Committee. He assisted in implementing a formal system of student evaluation of professors and served on key university policy-making committees. Williams later earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Cumbria, further strengthening his multidisciplinary expertise. Williams was named the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Houston’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

Williams has presented technical papers locally and internationally, particularly in the areas of seismic interpretation and velocity modelling. His career in public service reached its pinnacle when he served as an elected Member of Parliament and as Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Energy and Energy Industries from 2001 to 2006. As Minister, he led the nation’s energy sector through a period of remarkable growth, increasing natural gas production from 2.4 to 4.2 billion cubic feet per day. He was instrumental in developing infrastructure at Point Lisas, La Brea and Point Fortin and championed the nation’s first Local Content Policy. Strategic investments and a long-term vision for sustainable national development marked his tenure.

Following his time in public office, Williams emerged as a prominent voice on the international stage. He founded and now leads his consultancy practice, providing consultancy services to governments and national energy companies across Africa. He shares the “Trinidad and Tobago Model of Natural Resource-based Development” as a framework for sustainable growth, advancing local content, and economic empowerment. Williams currently serves on two Committees of the Advisory Board of the African Energy Chamber and has also served in leadership roles within two publicly listed companies. He is equally committed to mentoring and capacity-building within the Caribbean and beyond.

The Queen’s Royal College Old Boys’ Association is deeply moved to recognise Hall of Honour Inductee Eric Anthony Williams, whose distinguished career in energy, public service, and international development embodies the Royalian spirit of leadership, innovation, and service.