A new corporate management team has been appointed for Statoil. Due to begin functioning on 1 January, it will have the following composition:
- Olav Fjell, president and CEO
- Chief financial officer/chief of staff (to be recruited externally)
- Henrik Carlsen, senior vice president, Exploration & Production Norway
- Rolf Magne Larsen, senior vice president, International Exploration & Production
- Peter Mellbye, senior vice president, European Gas
- Erling Øverland, senior vice president, Marketing & Energy
- Elisabeth Berge, senior vice president, state's direct financial interest (SDFI)
- Morten Loktu, senior vice president, Technology.
Three changes are being made to the group's organisation.
The first of these is a merger of the Retailing & Nordic Energy and Industry & Trading business areas to form a new area called Marketing & Energy. This reflects the substantial common strategic challenges faced by operations grouped under the two existing business areas.
Marketing & Energy will be headed by Mr Øverland, currently chief financial officer in the corporate management team.
Otherwise, the existing Exploration & Production Norway, International Exploration & Production and European Gas business areas remain unchanged.
Secondly, the Technology unit will concentrate its operations on development-related activities, while technological work relating to current projects is organised in the respective business areas. The Technology unit will be headed by Mr Loktu, currently head of Statoil's research centre.
Thirdly, all corporate staff functions and services are being assembled in a single corporate centre to improve the efficiency of staff work. This centre will be headed by the chief financial officer/chief of staff, who is being recruited externally.
"The new management team represents renewal both externally and internally while simultaneously maintaining continuity," says Mr Fjell. "And the organisational changes reflect my intention to set higher standards for commercial focus and earnings, while continuing to pursue the group's principal strategies."
Grethe Moen, currently senior vice president for Industry & Trading, will become second-in-command of Exploration & Production Norway.
Sten Ã…ke Forsberg, currently senior vice president for Retailing & Nordic Energy, will continue to work within Marketing & Energy.
Stig Bergseth, now in charge of Statoil's technology organisation, will take over as senior vice president for health, the environment and safety from Arve Thorvik. The latter is being attached to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in Geneva under a collaboration with Statoil.
Facts on Statoil's corporate management team
(click on a name for picture)
Chief executive Olav Fjell (48) has a business administration degree, and took over as president and CEO in September.
Senior vice president Henrik Carlsen (53) is a graduate engineer and has held various posts in Statoil since 1976.
Senior vice president Rolf Magne Larsen (46) is a graduate engineer who joined Statoil in 1980 and has held several management positions.
Senior vice president Peter Mellbye (50) holds a political science degree and has held various management posts in Statoil's gas business. He joined the group in 1982.
Senior vice president Erling Øverland (47) has a business administration degree. Joining Statoil in 1976, he has held various management posts in the group.
Senior vice president Elisabeth Berge (45) has a business administration degree. She joined Statoil in 1990 and was given responsibility in February for the SDFI management function.
Senior vice president Morten Loktu (39) is a graduate engineer. He has worked for Statoil in 1985-89 and from 1991.
Further information from: John Ove Lindøe tel.: +47 51 99 68 81