RusEnergy

03-18-2009 - Upstream OnLine - UK supermajor BP's Russian joint venture TNK-BP has named a new chief financial officer and executive director, both non-Russian. Jonathan Muir, who has been with TNK-BP since its creation in 2003 as vice president for financial control, has been appointed chief financial officer. Muir has been TNK-BP's acting chief financial official since August 2008. The company also said in a statement that Didier Baudrand, previously senior vice president, BP Refining & Marketing Special Projects, has been named an executive director and executive vice president downstream. The appointments are filling vacancies left when a number of foreign staff left the company last year following a protracted struggle between the company's Russian and British shareholders. "The new appointments mark a further step in completing our senior management team, which combines the strength of our existing cadre with new experience," chief executive officer Tim Summers said in the statement. Summers replaced former TNK-BP boss Robert Dudley, who was among those who left the company because of the shareholders' conflict last year. TNK-BP was reported to be planning to appoint a new chief executive as soon as it finds a proper candidate. Until mid-December TNK-BP's press materials referred to Summers as interim chief executive.