New chief executive at Norway-listed rig owner

Oslo-listed shallow-water drilling contractor Shelf Drilling has appointed current chief financial officer Greg O’Brien as its new chief executive, replacing David Mullen who will step down from the role in August.

Mullen will assume the position of executive chairman, replacing incumbent Ernie Danner who will then serve as Shelf’s lead independent director.

Shelf on Thursday said it has launched a search process to identify a suitable candidate to replace O’Brien as executive vice president and CFO.

Mullen said: “I would like to thank all our stakeholders for their support of Shelf Drilling since company inception. I am very proud of what we have achieved and look forward to working with Greg and the management team to ensure a successful transition.”

Shelf, which has founded in 2012, has operations in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, West Africa, the Mediterranean and North Sea. The Dubai, UAE-headquartered rig contractor hails itself as a leader within the shallow-water drilling industry through its fit-for-purpose strategy and close working relationship with industry leading clients.

O’Brien said: “David’s outstanding vision and leadership has set a high standard and established a solid foundation for the company.

“Moving forward, we will remain focused on improving our already best-in-class operating platform and further strengthening our relationships with employees, customers, investors and all other stakeholders.”