Statoil elects new COO after sending current one to Brazil

Norwegian oil major Statoil has named a replacement chief operating officer after its current COO leaves his role to lead the development of the company’s operations in Brazil. 

Statoil said on Friday that Jannicke Nilsson had been appointed as the new executive vice president and COO. She takes over the role from Anders Opedal, who will lead the development of Statoil’s operations in Brazil as new country manager.

Nilsson will assume her new responsibilities on December 1 while Opedal will assume his on January 15, 2017.

The new COO will report directly to President and CEO Eldar Sætre with her office location being Stavanger, while Opedal will report to Lars Christian Bacher, executive vice president of Development and Production International. His office location will be Rio de Janeiro.

These changes mean that current Brazil country manager, Pål Eitrheim, is now the new chief procurement officer. He will be reporting to Margareth Øvrum, executive vice president TPD, and will be working out of Stavanger. It is not finally decided when Eitrheim will assume his new responsibilities.

Sætre said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Jannicke Nilsson as a new member of the corporate executive committee. She is a strong replacement for Anders Opedal, who I have asked to take one of the key roles in Statoil going forward, to lead the further development of our Brazil operations.

“After the Carcara acquisition, Brazil will be a very important future growth area for Statoil.

“Jannicke has been a part of the COO management committee reporting to Opedal since the COO function was established. She will be able to immediately continue the work of the COO organization.”

Nilsson is currently the senior vice president for COO operational performance projects, a role she has held since August 1, 2015. She joined the company in 1999 and has held a range of engineering, research, operational and leadership roles. Her start at the company was as a project engineer at Oseberg South.

Opedal is currently the executive vice president and chief operating officer, a role he has held since 1 April 2015. He joined Statoil in 1997 as a petroleum engineer in the Statfjord operations. He has held a variety of roles since then in drilling and wells, procurement and projects. Before joining Statoil, Opedal worked for Schlumberger and Baker Hughes.