Philippe Aimé Charlez is a Mining Engineer and graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique de Mons (Belgium). He obtained his PhD from the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and went on to join Total in 1982 where he worked as a Rock Mechanics Expert for 15 years. He then occupied several operational and management positions in Scotland, Angola and more recently, Kazakhstan.

He is currently Development Manager of Unconventional Resources for the Total Group. Ph. Charlez is the author of two books on Rock Mechanics, and over 50 scientific papers.