April 10 (Reuters) - Austrian oil and gas group OMV is set to appoint Emma Delaney as CEO and chair of the executive board from September, the company said in a statement on Friday. Delaney has been
OMV taps BP executive Emma Delaney as first female CEO
Emma Delaney’s Appointment and OMV’s Strategic Direction
Announcement of New CEO
April 10 (Reuters) - Austrian oil and gas group OMV is set to appoint Emma Delaney as CEO and chair of the executive board from September, the company said in a statement on Friday.
Delaney has been with BP <BP.L> since 1995 and would replace current chief executive Alfred Stern, who has held the post since September 2021 and had announced in May that he would not stand for re-election when his contract expires at the end of August.
Significance of Delaney’s Nomination
"The Executive Board nomination of Emma Delaney will give OMV an even stronger international visibility," said Edith Hlawati, OMV's deputy chair, adding that Delaney would become the group's first-ever female chief executive.
Supervisory Board Recommendation
The Vienna-based group's supervisory board has recommended appointing Delaney for an initial three-year period, with the possibility of extension for a further two years, subject to a resolution by the supervisory board at its next meeting.
Delaney’s Experience at BP
In 2020, Irishwoman Delaney took the helm of the British oil major's customers and products business, which includes BP's petrol station network, lubricants business and EV charging.
Statements from Austrian Officials
"OMV is a leading Austrian company with international influence and of vital importance to the domestic economy and industry," Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker and Finance Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer said in a statement.
"Our aim is to further develop and strategically strengthen OMV as one of Europe’s leading energy companies. The appointment of Emma Delaney as the new CEO sends a strong signal in this direction."
Future Focus for OMV
Key Areas of Strategic Development
Hattmannsdorfer added that the focus for OMV is on in-house raw material extraction and further diversification, as well as the development of its chemicals and plastics business.
BP’s Leadership Transition
BP said Richard Harding will replace Delaney and step in as acting executive vice president for customers & products, effective April 13.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Danny Callaghan in Gdansk and Shadia Nasralla in London, Editing by Miranda Murray and Hugh Lawson)
