Norway's Statoil ASA said the corporate assembly unanimously elected Jannik Lindbaek its chair and elected Kaci Kullmann Five as deputy chair. Kullmann Five served as acting chair for several weeks.
Statoil Pres. and CEO Olav Fjell resigned in the wake of the corruption allegations involving Statoil's dealings with Horton Investment, an Iranian firm. Chairman Leif Terje Løddesøl also resigned during that controversy (OGJ, Sept. 29, 2003, p. 42).
Lindbaek formerly was CEO of Storebrand Group, managing director of Nordic Investment Bank, and vice-president of World Bank Group.
Upstream moves
BG Group has appointed Stuart Fysh as executive vice-president and managing director, Mediterranean basin and Africa. His new responsibilities, effective Nov. 1, involve BG's interests in Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Tunisia. Fysh was vice-president, BG Egypt, since June 2001.
Denver-based MarkWest Hydrocarbon Inc. and its general partner, MarkWest Energy Partners LP, said Frank M. Semple became president Nov. 1, succeeding the retiring John M. Fox.
Fox will continue as CEO for the rest of the year. Semple is slated to become CEO on Jan. 1, 2004. Previously, Semple worked 22 years for Williams Cos. Inc., Tulsa.
Galaxy Energy Corp., Denver, has appointed Cecil D. Gritz as its chief operating officer.
Most recently, Gritz worked as a consulting petroleum engineer for Habor Petroleum LLC in Granbury, Tex.
Spinnaker Exploration Co., Houston, has appointed Gonzalo Enciso vice-president and chief geoscientist. Before joining Spinnaker, Enciso was chief geologist for Devon Energy Corp., Oklahoma City.
Pebercan Inc., Montreal, has appointed Cedric Sirven as vice-president, chief of operations. Most recently, Sirven served as vice-president, finances for the company. Giles Frachon succeeded Sirven as vice-president, finances.
Downstream moves
Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., has elected Andrew N. Liveris president and CEO. He has worked for Dow for 27 years. William S. Stavropoulos relinquished his role as president but continues as chairman and CEO.
Stavropoulos also announced the formation of an executive leadership team answering to the CEO office. In addition to Stavropoulos and Liveris, the team includes Arnold A. Allemang, executive vice-president, and J. Pedro Reinhard, executive vice-president and chief financial officer.
Trade association moves
Kate H. Baker assumed the presidency of the Richardson, Tex.-based Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) during the SPE annual technical conference and exhibition in Denver last month. She works as a senior advisor at BP America in Houston.
Baker accepted the post from outgoing SPE president Andrew A. Young. The SPE presidency is a 1-year term.
The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) executive committee has nominated Stephen Van Dyck as the organization's next chairman.
Van Dyck is chairman of Maritrans Inc., Tampa, a marine transportation company. He was nominated to succeed Lars Carlsson, who is slated to step down next year after serving the maximum 3-year term as Intertanko chair.
