By John Donovan
Former Royal Dutch Shell boss Malcolm Brinded has been replaced as a director of BBHP Billiton. His departure is a direct result of his key role in the OPL 245 corruption scandal and the consequential criminal prosecution underway in the Italian Courts. Brinded was involved in a string of scandals at Shell but thus far, has managed to escape retribution.
A shake-up at the board of mining company BHP Billiton has been announced this morning. But it is the departures that are more interesting. The firm says that, “given his involvement in ongoing legal proceedings in Italy relating to his prior employment with Shell”, Malcolm Brinded has decided not to stand for re-election as a non-exec. FULL ARTICLE (RELATED: OPL 245: Shell email intercepts)
EXTRACTS FROM A RELATED FOX BUSINESS REPORT
MELBOURNE, Australia–BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) plans to replace two directors who have opted to leave the resources giant with experienced executives, another win for disgruntled investors.
Malcolm Brinded… has opted not to stand for re-election as a non-executive director due to his involvement in ongoing legal action in Italy related to his past employment at Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA), Mr. Nasser said.
Mr. Brinded, a director since April 2004, will step down from the board in October, although Mr. Nasser said he looked forward to him being able to return in the future.
Italian prosecutors are investigating Shell’s involvement in buying a rich oil field off the coast of Nigeria. Mr. Brinded was a director of the energy company between 2002 and 2012.
-Write to Robb M. Stewart at [email protected]
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 22, 2017 20:52 ET (00:52 GMT)
EXTRACT FROM A RELATED BLOOMBERG REPORT
BHP’s New Chairman Heralds Era of Tougher Focus on Spending
By David Stringer:Ex-Royal Dutch Shell Plc exploration chief Brinded, a BHP director since 2014, chose to stand down as a result of “ongoing legal proceedings in Italy relating to his prior employment,” BHP said. Shell and Eni SpA are the subject of scrutiny over the acquisition of an offshore oil field in the Gulf of Guinea.