Skogen wasrecently installed as chairman in a boardroom reshuffle at Det Norskeinstigated by dominant owner Kjell Inge Rokke amid an internal rift over theaward by the Oslo-listed company of a topsides contract for its Ivar Aasenfield to Singapore yard SMOE.

Det Norskesaid in a statement on Wednesday that Haugane would now step down down on 1May, instead of 1 August as originally planned, with Skogen to be namedexecutive chairman with overall responsibility for the company’s operations untila permanent replacement is found.

Hauganewill