Gilbert Erelumhe Isimape Odior was born in Ogbona, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria on July 21st, 1957. He attended Saint John's Primary School Ogbona 1966-1970 and Saint John’s College, Fugar 1970-1974, and Edo College Benin City 1974-1976. His an alumni of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, where he graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Geology in 1979 and M.Sc. Petroleum Geology in 1981. He did his NYSC program in the then Cross Rivers state.

Gilbert Odior retired from ExxonMobil in December 2015 as an accomplished Geologist of over 34 years of proven successes in finding, developing and hydrocarbons production in offshore Nigeria basin as well as in the Gulf of Mexico. He is currently the Managing Director of Field Support Services (FSS), an oil and gas industry support services firm specialized in the provision of Interface management and regulatory, Project specific manpower supply, University assistant programs and community development works.

A well-respected person in Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry, he is known for innovative leadership in the vast industry network, as Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) President (2004-2005) and American association petroleum Geologists (AAPG) President 2012-2014. He is active in several professional organizations and Social Clubs including Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigeria Gas Association (NGA), Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society (NMGS), American Association Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), National Data Repository Board, Fellow of Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), and Certified Petroleum Geologist of AAPG and member of Ikoyi Club 1938.

Gilbert believes in people and goes beyond the usual call of duty to touch people’s lives in remarkable ways and brings out the best in them. He’s energetic and a great team player, flexible, upwardly mobile and focused on bottom-line results. He is a good manager of people, resources and astute manager of both, whether in formal or informal capacities.

Gilbert is a proud son of Ogbona and has actively contributed to the development of the community in all spheres of human endeavors. He has been an active member of Ogbona Federated Union, and Ivhiochie Family Meeting, Lagos Branch since 1981. He was a strong member of the Ogbona Advisory committee set up by the Okphe Ukpi to map out ways to develop the community. His committee which included Paulinus Ifaorumhe, Thomas Ikhaghu and Peter Odior) was the one that came up with recommendations for town planning, and infrastructure development currently being implemented in the community. He facilitated the construction of a state-of-the-art model school building at Ogbona Secondary school, Ogbona by ExxonMobil.

Gilbert authored and co-authored several technical papers and reports, coordinated the production of 24 lecture series on technical and soft skills deployed to 15 universities across the country. He is credited with developing the Exciting World of Geology for Geoscience career talk for Senior Secondary school which has been delivered to over 200 schools across Africa through AAPG Africa Region Young Professionals. He has donated many technical and non-technical books directly to universities or through the Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists University Assistant Program (UAP). He also has three university assistant partial scholarships for UNIBEN through NAPE-UAP. He recently donated medical books to UBTH Health Center at Ogbona and several other books covering various subjects and general knowledge to Ogbona Secondary School.