As a result of the agreement, MOLTECH is granted rights and responsibilities as VIKING's sole agent and distributor in Japan for the sales of VIKING's marine life-saving and fire-fighting products to Japanese shipyards and owners.

Marine and fire safety equipment leader VIKING Life-Saving Equipment (VIKING) and MOL Techno-Trade Ltd. (MOLTECH) have entered a strategic alliance and sole agency agreement, establishing MOLTECH as the exclusive agent for VIKING in Japan.

MOLTECH will be offering the full range of VIKING's safety solutions including the industry leading Shipowner Agreements (SOA) - agreements that combine global product availability and servicing with financing in fixed price structures and the convenience of VIKING's management of the service schedules. The Shipowner Agreements are planned and monitored from a single point of contact and were an industry game-changer, when first introduced back in 2009.

VIKING has already enjoyed many years of representation on the Japanese market and the role of existing distributors remains unchanged, however, under the control of MOLTECH.

"The agreement is a tremendous milestone for VIKING and will ensure that our products and solutions are widely available to shipowners and shipyards in Japan", says Henrik Uhd Christensen, CEO of VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, and continues:

"MOLTECH has demonstrated a capability to drive bottom line results by bridging interests and finding solutions that satisfy both Japanese and non-Japanese interests and different cultural dimensions. Further, being part of the MOL family of companies MOLTECH has the inherent capability to execute the business level which VIKING targets in the Japanese market. This provides us with the foundation of a dynamic and enduring relationship."

CSA Ocean Sciences is happy to welcome Dr. Michele Halvorsen to the science staff as the Ocean Sound and Marine Mammals Business Line Manager. Michele's areas of expertise include marine life and biotechnology; environmental acoustic ecology; and effects of intense anthropogenic sounds such as sonar, pile driving, seismic, noise, behavior, fish fitness/physiology, bioacoustics, and acoustic monitoring systems.

Michele earned her undergraduate degree in Zoology from Southern Illinois University and her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she received training in neurophysiology of the auditory system of mammals and fish and in neuroethology.

Along with colleagues Drs. Woodley and Carlson, Michele helped develop a Fish Index of Trauma (FIT) model that maps the exposure sound metrics with the fish's biological responses. Recently relocated from Washington state where she was a program manager at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim, Michele is getting settled in Palm City, FL.

Bath-based BMT Defence Services Ltd (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has announced the opening of a second office in Bath. Plymouth House on Monmouth Street will house the Norwegian LSV (Logistics and Support Vessel) project team – a prestigious design contract BMT recently won in partnership with South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).

Muir Macdonald, Managing Director at BMT Defence Services comments: "We were fortunate to find suitable design studio space close to our Lower Bristol Road headquarters for this exciting project. Our growth in international projects has brought a further 40 people into the company over the last 12 months and I am delighted that we continue to attract the highest quality people to the industry."

As well as continuing to pursue contracts in both the UK and abroad, BMT has invested much time and effort to become an integrated member of the local community. With strong links into schools and universities, BMT is dedicated to supporting the development of key skills such as science, technology, engineering and maths.

Parker Drilling (NYSE: PKD) announces that Robert "Bobby" L. Parker Jr. will retire as an employee of the company, effective December 31, 2013. Mr. Parker will continue to serve as Chairman of the company's board of directors until the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2014, at which time Gary G. Rich, the company's chief executive officer, will be nominated to serve in that role and Mr. Parker will be nominated to stand for re-election to the board for an additional three-year term.

Mr. Parker's retirement culminates a long, successful and notable career, including 18 years as president and chief executive officer of Parker Drilling. During his tenure, Mr. Parker established the company as a respected trailblazer and leader in responsibly accessing remote and challenging frontiers in energy exploration and development. Under his guidance, the company was instrumental in creating innovative new technologies and operational procedures that advanced the drilling profession and continue to benefit the global oil and gas industry today.

A recognized champion of safety and environmental stewardship, Mr. Parker spearheaded the development of Parker Drilling's strong safety culture. Over the years, the company has repeatedly recorded Total Recordable Incident Rates well below the International Association of Drilling Contractors member average and continues to receive accolades and recognitions from its customers for its commitment to safe operations, environmental care, and performance excellence. Mr. Parker's focus on superior customer service positioned the company to help its customers achieve multiple drilling performance milestones, particularly on Sakhalin Island, Russia. His vision to offer additional integrated drilling services to the marketplace contributed to the acquisitions of Quail Rental Tools and Mallard Drilling, which formed the base for Parker's domestic Rental Tools and U.S. Drilling business segments. Each has consistently proven to be a high performing business unit in Parker's overall portfolio.

DOF Subsea, a leading provider of subsea services to the oil and gas industry, has appointed Colin Ferguson (photo) as country manager for Angola.

Colin, who started his career as a commercial diver, has more than 20 years' experience working on large scale engineering projects in the upstream oil and gas industry. He joins DOF Subsea from Superior Energy Services/Hallin Marine Services, where he was country manager for Angola.

Colin brings a wealth of experience to DOF Subsea, having worked in many countries in West Africa as well as in South Africa, the Persian Gulf, India and Thailand. His previous positions have been with oil and gas companies including Mermaid Offshore Services, Global Industries Limited and Stolt Comex Seaway.

Talking about his appointment, Colin said: "I am extremely excited to join DOF Subsea and support the company as it grows business in West Africa. Having been based in the sub-Saharan region for most of my career, I have a great deal of experience working in the area which I look forward to using in this role as we develop DOF Subsea Angola Lda."

As part of his position as General Manager at DOF Subsea Angola, Colin will focus on enhancing the company's profile and business potential in Angola. Training and development for personnel and monitoring the financial and health and safety performance will also be key aspects of Colin's role.

Colin continued: "DOF Subsea operates to an exceptionally high standard across each of its global projects and I will be working to ensure that this remains the case in Angola, with all personnel working to company policies and procedures whilst receiving appropriate training and development opportunities."

Jan–Kristian Haukeland, Executive Vice President for the Atlantic Region, said: "Colin's appointment is an important move for us as we expand operations in the West African region and we are delighted to welcome him to the company.

"Building upon our existing business relationships in the area will be one of Colin's main focuses, as well as seeking out new prospects. He will also be identifying opportunities for DOF Subsea to raise its profile in West Africa through increased involvement in CSR activities and projects in the community."

• Indonesia Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Praises Economic Benefit of New Facility
• New High Bay Workshop Allows for the First Production of Vertical Subsea Trees in Asia-Pacific
• Project Underscores GE's Commitment to Development of Local Oil and Gas Talent
• GE Invests in Facility Expansion to Meet Demand for Offshore and Deep Water Oil and Gas Production Equipment

Indonesia Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources H.E. Susilo Siswoutomo officiated the grand opening of GE's (NYSE: GE) newly expanded Batam Island subsea manufacturing facility.

The facility features a new high bay workshop that will enable GE to begin manufacturing its first vertical subsea production trees in the Asia-Pacific region and increase local content in Indonesia. In the future, this facility will have capabilities to produce both vertical and horizontal subsea production trees. The expansion has created nearly 30 new jobs at the facility and is expected to add another 50 to 70 new jobs over the next three years.

GE Oil & Gas has invested more than USD$15 million in Batam since 2011 for plant expansion, technology upgrades and the new high bay workshop. This latest expansion is GE's largest investment to date at the Batam manufacturing site.

GE is a leading supplier of subsea equipment and services to the global oil and gas industry. The company completed its facility expansion as Indonesia's government more rapidly expands development of its offshore energy resources.

"Increasing our country's oil and gas production and transportation infrastructure is a top priority for supporting Indonesia's economic growth," said Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia Susilo Siswoutomo. "The expansion of GE's subsea equipment facility will be a significant contribution for expanding our country's manufacturing base, creating employment and developing human resources in the oil and gas industry."

Highlighting GE's focus on local workforce development, employees at the new vertical subsea trees workshop are trained at GE's Singapore and Aberdeen, U.K., center of excellence and also receive additional training to address localized content requirements for Indonesia.

"We expanded our Batam subsea manufacturing facility to meet the growing demand for subsea production equipment as our customers look to develop new oil and gas reserves in more challenging locations in the Asia-Pacific region," said Handry Satriago, CEO of GE Indonesia. "The expansion of our Batam facility underscores GE's commitment to localizing more of our company's business capabilities in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia to support the country's local economic and energy goals."

GE has operated in Indonesia since 1940, providing the latest technology and solutions in aviation, transportation, power generation, energy management, oil and gas, health and lighting. GE has 800 employees in its 10 facilities and project locations in Indonesia in addition to its country head office in Jakarta and two factories in Batam and Yogjakarta and a service center in Bandung.

In February 2013, GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt visited Indonesia and announced GE's plan to spend USD$300 million in the next five years to support the country's infrastructure development. This includes the expansion of Batam subsea manufacturing facility as well as the establishment of the GE Learning and Technology Center, a partnership with Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Garuda Indonesia and Pertamina, to provide a center for leadership and engineering and the localization of GE applied technology. GE has invested more than USD$1 billion in Indonesia to date.

Ensco plc (NYSE: ESV) announces that Chairman, President and CEO Dan Rabun (photo) has decided to retire after nearly eight years of service. Mr. Rabun will continue to serve in his current role as Chairman, President and CEO until the Board of Directors has completed the succession process and a new CEO has been appointed. To assist with the new CEO's transition, Mr. Rabun will remain Chairman through at least the 2014 Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Rabun's planned retirement from the CEO role has been part of the Board's succession planning process for more than a year. A special committee chaired by Paul Rowsey, the Board's Lead Director, is directing the succession process. This committee has been working with Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., a leading executive recruiting firm, and is considering both external and internal candidates.

"Dan has made many contributions to the success of our Company - especially his unwavering passion to further advance safety and operational excellence," said Mr. Rowsey. "Over the past eight years revenue and stockholders' equity have more than quadrupled, dividends have grown from $0.10 to $3.00 per share annually and we are now among the largest and most well-respected offshore drillers."
Mr. Rowsey concluded, "We are grateful that Dan will facilitate a smooth transition as we complete the succession process."

Mr. Rabun commented, "I have truly enjoyed leading Ensco over the past eight years. We have a highly-talented management team and exceptionally dedicated employees who have made our many achievements possible. In particular, I am especially proud that we have taken our safety performance to an even higher level. Our new CEO will benefit, as I have, , from our employees' commitment to go beyond expectations in everything they do." 

Environmental Drilling Solutions (EDS), a leading provider of drilling waste management, solids control and backyard management solutions to the oil and gas industry, is pleased to announce two senior-level additions to its management team: John Meckert as chief executive officer (CEO) and John Marty III as business development manager.

Meckert  (left)joins EDS with 23 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, primarily in oilfield services and drilling. He has spent most of his career at various divisions of Nabors Industries, the world's largest land driller. Most recently, he led the services and rentals division at Canrig Drilling Technology and served as the senior vice president and general manager at Peak USA Energy Services. He has worked in operational management and financial leadership positions both domestically and internationally and began his career with Conoco as a petroleum engineer. Meckert holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State University.

"John brings with him a tremendous wealth of experience in the drilling industry – he understands our customers' needs as well as how to run a first-class organization," said Kirby Arceneaux, board member and former CEO of EDS.

Marty (right) joins EDS with more than 30 years of experience in the drilling fluid and solids control segment of the oil and gas industry. As the business development manager, Marty will focus on developing new business opportunities to generate corporate growth while enhancing business activities. Most recently, he served as U.S. general manager, solids control, for Strad Energy Services. Marty is an active member of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

"I am pleased to welcome these two individuals to Environmental Drilling Solutions," said Chad Hollier, EDS founder and president. "We are fortunate to find such great leaders, and I am confident they will help us continue to provide top level solutions and services."

Acteon is pleased to announce the opening of its new Acteon Singapore Operations Center (ASOC) at the Offshore Marine Center in Singapore's Tuas industrial area. The Center is the first purpose-built Acteon facility and has been designed to accommodate multiple Acteon operating companies and support their offshore operations throughout South East Asia.

The 10,000 m2 port side facility offers Acteon companies both high grade office space and engineering capability in South East Asia. The ASOC provides Acteon operating companies with easy and unrestricted port mobilization and demobilization options for heavy equipment, which will be supported by a 128 te workshop crane capacity. Acteon's South East Asia customer base will now benefit from quicker response times on equipment supply and rapid turnaround rates.

Several Acteon companies, including Team Energy Resources, Menck, Claxton, Aquatic and LM Handling will utilize the ASOC for the following activities:
- Project Design and Engineering
- Equipment maintenance and servicing
- Equipment availability for rental and sales

Progressively, additional operating companies will be able to utilise the facility, as Acteon Group's position in South East Asia strengthens.

"There was a strong demand for Acteon companies having a dedicated facility from which to utilize and service the South East Asia region," said Acteon Group Ltd executive vice president Paul Alcock. "We are very committed to continuing our growth in South East Asia, and by investing heavily in establishing a dedicated local presence in Singapore, we have both secured easy and unrestricted port mobilization and demobilization options for heavy equipment in Teas, while vastly improving our access to customers in the region. They, in turn, will benefit from our enhanced and expedited service capabilities. This new center we hope will add significant value to our capabilities throughout South East Asia, and will add positively to the relationships we establish and develop in the region."

"We are delighted that Acteon has chosen to establish its regional service center at the Offshore Marine Centre to serve its customers in Asia better. The Offshore Marine Center, with its common waterfront area, is a strong testament to the collaboration between the government and industry to develop innovative solutions that optimize the use of resources," said Lim Kok Kiang, executive director, transport engineering, Singapore Economic Development Board.

Acteon companies, 2H Offshore and InterMoor, are pleased to announce that they have both been selected as one of the Houston Chronicle's Top Workplaces; a list of the best companies to work for in the Houston metro area.

The Top Workplaces are determined based solely on employee feedback. The employee survey is conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement. WorkplaceDynamics conducts regional Top Workplaces programs with 37 major publishing partners and recognizes a list of 150 National Top Workplaces. Over the past year, more than 5,000 organizations and one in every 88 employees in the U.S. have turned to WorkplaceDynamics to better understand what's on the minds of their employees.

285 companies participated in the program and 150 were selected for the prestigious Top Workplaces award. 2H Offshore placed seventh and InterMoor placed 59th out of 70 in the small company category (1 – 149 employees). In addition, 2H Offshore was awarded a special 'Communications Award,' in recognition of the company's outstanding performance in the Communications section of the survey.

Feedback from 2H employees on the survey included favorable comments on the "approachable" nature of the management team, "tremendous benefits and flexible working hours," the emphasis put on "knowledge sharing, communication and continued training" for employees and how "new ideas" are encouraged from all levels of staff. 2H Offshore celebrated its 20th anniversary in February 2013 and currently employs more than 300 people globally.

In the survey, InterMoor employees revealed that they valued "InterMoor's flexible approach to maintaining a work-life balance," "working alongside dedicated people" and "a sense of pride in the projects InterMoor is involved with." In addition to employer-provided health and dental plans, InterMoor employees enjoy regular team building activities and a company-matched 401K program. Employees are also supported in training and career advancement opportunities.

David Walters, 2H vice president commented, "At 2H Offshore, we have a strong work ethic, but we greatly believe that our high morale and sense of team spirit play a major role in our success. It is a fun and friendly place to work, and we emphasize the importance of communication and interpersonal relationships through collaborative projects, team work and regular team building activities. This achievement is a credit to each and every one our employees who contribute daily to creating and sustaining our excellent workplace culture."

"InterMoor is proud and honored to have been awarded a place on the Houston Chronicle's Top Workplaces list alongside 2H Offshore," said InterMoor President Tom Fulton. "All the Acteon companies place tremendous value on their employees and therefore employee satisfaction is one of our core principles at InterMoor."

The Houston Chronicle published the complete list of Top Workplaces on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013.

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In his new position, Arnaud Breuillac will report to Yves-Louis Darricarrère, Upstream President and Member of Total's Executive Committee.
Paris, November 4, 2013 - Effective January 1, 2014, Arnaud Breuillac is appointed President, Exploration & Production at Total. He will report to Yves Louis Darricarrère, Upstream President and member of Total's Executive Committee.

Effective October 1, 2014, Mr. Breuillac will join Total's Executive Committee, alongside Christophe de Margerie, Philippe Boisseau, Yves-Louis Darricarrère, Jean-Jacques Guilbaud, Patrick de La Chevardière and Patrick Pouyanné.

Arnaud Breuillac is a graduate of French engineering school Ecole Centrale de Lyon. He joined Total in 1982.

He has held various positions in Exploration & Production in France, Abu Dhabi, the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Angola and in Refining in France.
Between 2004 and 2006, he served as Vice President, Iran, in the Middle East Divison. 
In December 2006, he was appointed to Exploration & Production's Management Committee in his position as Senior Vice President, Continental Europe and Central Asia.

On July 1, 2010, he was appointed Senior Vice President, Middle East in Exploration & Production. On January 1, 2011, he was appointed to Total's Management Committee.

Songa Offshore SE has received the resignation of the company's Chief Financial Officer, Geir Karlsen. He will, until the end of 2013, remain at the Company's disposal as Executive Vice President. Executive Vice President Jan Rune Steinsland has been appointed as new Chief Financial Officer as from today.
"Since joining Songa in April of this year Jan Rune has contributed greatly to the strengthening of our financial control and reporting structures. Jan Rune commands a great deal of respect in our industry and I am extremely pleased to have someone with his knowledge, experience and strength in this role" says Bjørnar Iversen, CEO.

Mr. Steinsland will be based in Oslo at the company's Oslo Office and takes up his position with effect from today 4 November.

Jan Rune Steinsland has significant international industry experience and a strong track record from executive positions. From 2006, he has held the position as CFO at Ocean Rig, in period of great expansion and development, including an IPO and listing on NASDAQ. Prior to that, he was CFO at Acta Holding ASA, a position he held for six years. From 1988 to 2000, Jan Rune Steinsland had several management positions at ExxonMobil, including Financial Analyst, Financial Reporting Manager, Vice President Accounting and Audit Advisor. Jan Rune Steinsland holds a Master of Business Administration from University of St. Gallen and is Certified European Financial Analyst (AFA) from The Norwegian Society of Financial Analysts/Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration.

CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA) GeoSpatial Services (GS) business line is using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to map shoreline sensitivity to oil spills in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) is a widely used system for ranking and classifying shoreline sensitivity based on characteristics such as degree of wave energy, potential penetration of oil into the substrate, and natural oil retention times of the shore type. This type of information is crucial to mitigate the potential impact of an oil spill.

With increased offshore energy exploration and development activities in the eastern Mediterranean, shorelines in this region are increasingly at risk of exposure to oil spills and other incidents. The challenges of security and accessibility in these countries makes traditional approaches of aerial and ground surveys difficult, particularly for the considerable length of these Mediterranean shorelines. CSA GS has developed a technique to acquire, examine, and interpret high-resolution, georeferenced satellite imagery and assign ESI Shore Types to digital shoreline segments in GIS. The technique can be applied to any shoreline in the world for which an understanding of coastal environments is of interest.

Because the work occurs within the spatial framework of GIS, it enables the integration of other layers of spatial data such as sensitive resources, oil spill model trajectories, environmental sampling designs, and response plans. Once integrated into GIS, the shoreline classifications can also be made available online through a secure, web-accessible GeoPortal that is designed and operated by CSA, without the need for third-party web publishing.

Keith Van Graafeiland, Director of the CSA GeoSpatial Services business line, offers, “CSA has previously completed ESI Shore Type mapping in the eastern Mediterranean as part of an Environmental Baseline Survey and Environmental Impact Assessment conducted for oil and gas interests. CSA GeoSpatial Services has plans to expand the analysis to benefit other countries in the region, and potentially in other parts of the world.”

This application is part of CSA’s Marine Environmental Services for Spill Response, in which CSA assists energy sector clients in preparing for and responding to oil and gas releases and associated damage assessments.

For more information on CSA’s capabilities and marine environmental services for spill response, please visit our website at www.csaocean.com or call 772-219-3000.

CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. specializes in consulting services for Federal, State, and private industry clients in multidisciplinary projects, integrating science and technology to evaluate environmental activities throughout the world. CSA offers a wide variety of services related to environmental management and community planning to support clients working in marine, estuarine, wetland, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats throughout the United States and overseas.

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Superior Energy Services has been named one of Houston's 2013 Top Workplaces by the Houston Chronicle for the second year in a row, announced David Dunlap, Superior Energy Services' President and CEO.

The list honors 150 workplaces in the Houston area ranging from small companies with less than 150 employees to large companies employing more than 500 people. This is the second year for Superior Energy Services to receive recognition within in the "Top Large Companies" category.
The results are based on an employee survey conducted by Workplace Dynamics LLC. Qualifying companies are measured by employee responses regarding company leadership, advancement opportunities, compensation and employee benefits.

Superior's employee benefits package – which includes maternity and paternity leave; medical, dental and vision healthcare options; flexible hours; employee orientations; employee recognition programs; and safety initiatives set Superior apart as a workplace that recognizes the importance of creating a welcoming, responsive and safe employment environment.

"We are honored to be recognized as a top workplace in the Houston area for the second consecutive year," said Dunlap. "Superior's acknowledgement among the other prestigious companies recognized on the list is a testament to our workplace environment but, more importantly, to our dedicated employees who make Superior a great place to work."

Øystein Michelsen has been appointed Tanzania country manager in Development and Production International, Sub-Saharan Africa (DPI SAF) in Statoil.

Michelsen will report to DPI SAF senior vice president Tove Stuhr Sjøblom, and will assume his new responsibilities on 1 January 2014. His office location will be Dar es Salaam.

Michelsen succeeds acting country manager Knut Henrik Dalland, who will continue in a senior position in the Tanzania gas development and country organisation.

Michelsen is currently executive vice president of Development and Production Norway (DPN), a role he has held since 2008.

He joined Norsk Hydro in 1981 and came to Statoil with the merger in 2007, taking up the role as senior vice president for Operations North. He has a broad background from a range of operational and leadership positions. Michelsen has a master degree in physics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in 1980.

"Øystein took on the challenging role as head of DPN at short notice in 2008, and has taken the organisation forward in a very good way. His deep operational experience, combined with a hands-on approach and his ability to mobilise and motivate his people, has been instrumental in developing DPN. At the same time he has built high credibility and trust with all key stakeholders, within the industry as well as on the political arena," says Statoil CEO Helge Lund.

"We have now appointed one of our most experienced leaders as country manager for Tanzania, reflecting the importance of this role. It is a challenging and important project that will demand the best of Statoil's capabilities. I take this opportunity to thank Øystein for his contributions in his DPN role, and look forward to working closely with him also in his new and important role," Lund says.

A new DPN executive vice president will be announced at a later date.

Swire Oilfield Services, a leading global provider of cargo carrying solutions, modular systems, offshore aviation services and fluid management, has appointed Bob Smith as its new head of operations for the UK.

Mr Smith will oversee all operational activity of the UK bases and continue to build on the company's commitment to process improvement and people development. He will also be responsible for driving growth in the operational function in the UK, which incorporates the company's new sling manufacturing and maintenance service. Last month, Swire Oilfield Services announced it is set to invest more than £185,000 in its sling manufacturing and repair facility in Aberdeen with the capacity to match its current internal demand of 5,000 slings per year.

For the last seven years, Mr Smith has held the position of operations manager at Stoneywood Paper Mill in Aberdeen, Scotland. He also has energy sector experience through offshore work and has a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Henley Management College.

On his appointment, Mr Smith said: "In recent years, Swire Oilfield Services has grown significantly and there are exciting plans for the future. I will be focused on improving the UK operations to support achieving the company's objectives and I look forward to the challenges ahead.

"It gives me great pride to join a company that has continual focus on growth both externally and internally. I already feel part of the Swire team and it is clear that the company is devoted to its people and recognizes that their development in an essential part of future success."