advertisement

Omiyi becomes Shell's first Nigerian Managing Director
By Yakubu Lawal Asst. Energy Editor

A FTER more than 40 years of operation in Nigeria, Anglo-Dutch oil multi-national, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), has appointed a Nigerian, Mr. Basil Omiyi, as its Managing Director.

advertisement

The appointment, which takes effect from September 1, 2004, is coming as part of a re-restructuring exercise seeking to make the company more cost effective, according to a statement by its External Relations Director, Precious Omuku.

The statement also disclosed that the company's current Managing Director, Mr. Chris Finlayson, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Shell Exploration and Production (Shell EP) Africa, with effect from October 1, 2004.

Finlayson, 48, will however be based in Lagos and will retain the role of Country Chairman for Nigeria.

By this development, Nigeria has become the headquarters of Shell E&P in Africa.

Finlayson succeeds Shell EP Africa's current Chief Executive Officer, Brian Ward, 57, who is retiring after more than 36 years of service with the Royal Dutch /Shell Group of companies. The career has seen him on assignments in the Netherlands, Brunei, Malaysia, Nigeria, Argentina and the United Kingdom (UK).

Until his appointment, Omiyi was the Production Director of SPDC. He joined Shell in 1970 as a petroleum engineer and has worked in Nigeria, the UK, and the Netherlands.

He was appointed to the Board of SPDC in 1996, when he took up the position of General Manager, Relations and Environment. In 1999, he was appointed External Affairs Director before assuming his current role in 2002.

Omiyi was quoted after the announcement yesterday as saying: "I am delighted to be appointed Managing Director of SPDC and I am honoured to be the first of what I expect will be many Nigerians to hold the post. I look forward to the opportunities and challenges which lie ahead."`

Finlayson began his career in Shell in 1977 in the UK as a Petroleum Engineer. He was first posted to Nigeria, from 1992 to 1995, as SPDC Development Manager. Prior to his appointment in October 2003 as Managing Director of SPDC, Finlayson was Managing Director of the Brunei Shell Petroleum Company.

He was quoted as saying yesterday: "Africa is an important area for Shell EP and I look forward to working with our thousands of employees across the continent as we further develop our business in this exciting and challenging region."

The highest position previously held by Nigeria in the company is that of Deputy Managing Director. Those who have occupied the position include Mr. Godwin Omene, the past Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Egbert Imomoh and the current DMD, Mr. Joshua Udofia.

Shell is the operator of the NPC/Shell/AGIP/ELF joint venture. The operation is the largest oil and gas producer in the country with a daily production capacity of over one million barrels and reserve level in excess of 18 billion barrels.

It gave $54 million to the NDDC in 2003 and has pledged to focus on job creation in the country, especially in the agricultural sector. The company has also stressed the need for successful prosecution of oil crooks in the country.