Energy service firm Worley said today that its chief executive, Andrew Wood, will retire later this month after 26 years with the firm, including seven at the helm.
Mr Wood will be replaced by chief operating officer Chris Ashton, who was responsible for the integration of the energy, chemicals and resources (ECR) division of Jacobs into Worley.
Mr Wood will remain with Worley to advise the board until the end of this financial year.
Currently based in Houston, Mr Ashton and his family will establish their residence in Australia, where Worley is headquartered.
Mr Ashton, who has been at Worley since 1998, holds a degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Sunderland University, an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and has completed the Executive Management Program at Harvard Business School as well as the AICD Company Directors Course.
He said: “It is a great privilege to assume the leadership of this great company. The next decade will see unprecedented change in the energy, chemicals and resources industries which we serve.
“Our customers are being driven by having to address two fundamental structural disruptions; the Energy Transition and changes resulting from the adoption of digital processes.
“After more than 20 years with Worley, I know the company, its customers and stakeholders well. I am looking forward to visiting offices, fabrication yards, customers, job sites and investors in the very near future.”
Worley bought Amec Foster Wheeler’s oil and gas business following the latter’s acquisition by energy service giant Wood in 2017.
The deal marked Worley’s entry to the UK North Sea market.
The company has about 2,500 employees in Aberdeen.
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