Integrated energy and chemicals company Sasol has appointed Stephen Cornell executive VP of international operations, based in Houston, Texas, in the US, effective February 1, 2014.

Cornell, who would report directly to Sasol CEO David Constable, was currently British multinational oil and gas company BP’s US fuels and global head of major projects COO.

In November, Sasol’s new group executive committee (GEC) structure was announced, which would be effective from July 1, 2014. At the time, the company indicated that, given the growing importance of its international businesses, particularly in the US, a focused operations position at the GEC level was created. In the context of Sasol’s redesigned operating model, this role would be accountable for the group’s operations outside of Southern Africa, including Sasol’s US megaprojects in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Cornell, Sasol said in a statement, had extensive US domestic and international experience in petrochemicals, refining and logistics, having worked in the industry in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The company pointed out that he had significant business improvement experience, having reshaped BP’s US fuels business over six years through improved work processes, divestiture of assets and by driving the significant expansion of the 413 000 bl/d BP Whiting refinery. Sasol noted that, within often complex operating environments, Cornell also had first-hand experience in large-scale capital projects, ensuring substantial safety improvements and embedding manufacturing excellence.

Constable said: “At a time when we are striving to enhance our own performance levels at Sasol, it is exciting to have a leader join our team, who is known for passionately driving high performance through talent and capability development across all areas of the organisation. With over three decades in the industry under his belt, Steve is highly regarded by his peers as a commercial and strategic leader with substantial chemical engineering experience”.

Cornell said he was excited to be making this change, believing that Sasol could capitalise on many opportunities in the global energy arena. “This is an important time in Sasol’s history and I am certainly looking forward to working with the team to continue building on the company’s many successes.”

Sasol also announced on Thursday that it had appointed Anglo American Platinum FD Bongani Nqwababa as independent nonexecutive director, with effect from December 5.

Nqwababa is a former FD of Eskom, prior to which he served as treasurer and CFO of Shell Southern Africa.

He is also the chairperson of the Audit Committee of the South African Revenue Service.