Suncor has named Kris Smith—the company’s executive vice-president, downstream—as interim chief executive officer, succeeding Mark Little, who agreed to step down as president and chief executive officer and resign from the board, effective immediately, the company said in a release July 8.
Suncor's board has formed a committee to conduct a global search for the company’s next chief executive and is engaging a global executive recruiting firm to assist with the process.
The July 8 resignation came 1 day after the death of a contract worker at the company's Base Plant north of Fort McMurray, Alta. last week and months after a previous incident that lead to the death of a worker in January.
"Suncor is committed to achieving safety and operational excellence across our business, and we must acknowledge where we have fallen short and recognize the critical need for change," Michael Wilson, board chair, said July 8, before thanking Little for his service, commending him for his “professionalism and the exceptional work he did to guide Suncor through the pandemic and lead our sector's progressive approach to the energy transition.”