From 1 March Inglis will replace co-founder Brian Maxted, who will move out of the top slot to become chief exploration officer, the Dallas-based independent said on Monday.
Inglis has since 2011been at UK service provider Petrofac as chief executive of its production unit, Integrated Energy Services.
Inglis is a 30-year veteran of the UK supermajor and was global exploration and production director from 2007 to 2010.
