Clayton Woitas, Encana Corp.’s new but temporary chief executive officer, is no stranger to Canada’s oil patch. He has racked up wins as a Calgary executive, and investors are happy to have him at the helm of one of North America’s largest natural gas companies.

But is he happy to be there?

Mr. Woitas has not always been a fan of running public companies. Private companies are his preference, he told a Calgary audience nearly a decade ago.