Essar Oil has announced the appointment of the former boss of Sweden's largest fuel firm as its new CEO.
Stein Ivar Bye will become boss of the firm owning and operating the Stanlow Refinery in the North West, leaving behind his job as chief operating officer at Scandinavian crude oil giant Preem.
Mr Bye is the second new CEO to take charge at Essar since the start of the year. In January, it was announced that ex-BP boss Mark Wilson had replaced Srinivasalu Thangapandian.
Essar said on Monday that Mr Wilson left in June under a "mutual agreement" with the firm after less than six months in the role.
Mr Bye will be based at the firm's Stanlow Manufacturing Complex - where 16% of the UK's road transport fuels are produced.
Mr Bye said: “I am honoured to be selected as CEO for Essar Oil UK and excited to be part of Essar’s transformational journey. Society’s demand for efficient and sustainable energy solutions is an inspiring challenge and will require creativity and perseverance.
"With the collective competency and commitment of the Essar organisation, and strong stakeholder engagement, I am confident Essar Oil UK will be a part of the solution for the future.”
Essar said Mr Bye was an "experienced executive leader in multicultural and international environments" with an impressive track record in refinery operations, coupled with "broad experience in supply and trading, strategy and planning and business development".
He has 28 years' experience in the oil and energy sector, working across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
He graduated from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and has an MBA in Business Strategy and Management from BI Norwegian Business School. He then spent 25 years with ExxonMobil.
Prashant Ruia, non-executive chairman said: “As an organisation, our sights are firmly set on transforming our UK business, ensuring its growth and long term sustainability as we transition towards a low carbon energy economy and deliver the energy solutions of the future for Britain.
"Stein will be pivotal in meeting this challenge and fulfilling this ambition.”
