Royal Dutch Shell said yesterday that executive director Malcolm Brinded, a former managing director of Shell Expro in Aberdeen, would leave the oil and gas company later this year.
Mr Brinded worked at Shell Expro for eight of the 37 years he has been with Shell, including three as MD. He is stepping down as head of its international upstream business on April 1, but will stay on with the group for a month to hand over to successor Andrew Brown.
Shell said Mr Brinded was not retiring after leaving the company, but a spokesman added that it was not known what his future plans were.
Mr Brinded became head of the group’s core exploration and production operation in 2004 during a turbulent period for Shell.
It had shocked investors when it slashed its proved oil and gas reserves; a revelation which led to the sacking of Sir Philip Watts, who was chairman at the time, and oil and gas chief Walter van de Vijver.
Mr Brinded was tipped for the top job at Shell in 2009, but missed out to current chief executive Peter Voser.
Mr Brinded, who was made a CBE for his services to the oil industry in 2001, joined the company in 1974 after graduating in engineering from Cambridge University and has also worked for Shell in Brunei, the Netherlands and Oman. He was awarded an honorary degree by Robert Gordon University in 2007.
Mr Brown, is executive vice-president of Shell’s operations in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Shell said it had agreed to buy a firm working in east Africa for nearly £1billion.
The group said it had proposed a £992.4million cash offer for Cove Energy, which the Mozambique-focused firm’s board is expected to recommend to shareholders. Shell said it already had interests in east Africa, but had made the approach for Cove. as part of plans to add to its presence there.
Cove’s main asset is an 8.5% stake in the Rovuma Offshore Area 1, and Shell said its offer was dependent on Mozambique’s mineral resources minister approving development of the gas field. Cove also has interests in Kenya and Tanzania.