O'Donnell to step down as chief executive at Kentz

THE CHIEF operations officer at engineering group Kentz, Christian Brown, is set to succeed Hugh O’Donnell as chief executive.

Kentz announced yesterday that Dr O’Donnell is stepping down as chief executive after 12 years, and Mr Brown will take over from February 1st.

Mr Brown joined Kentz last August. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the liquid natural gas, oil and gas, and petrochemicals industries.

He worked for seven years with KBR in the US, Europe, Africa and the Middle East before joining Foster Wheeler in 2009, where he was managing director of global sales and marketing.

Dr O’Donnell, who has worked for Kentz for 20 years, will not be severing his links with the group. According to the company’s statement, he would continue to provide “exclusive advisory” services over the next three years.

Kentz’s head of development Rory O’Donnell will be appointed group officer for strategy, mergers and acquisitions. Kentz also issued a trading update yesterday saying its revenues and profits should be slightly ahead of expectations.