Mike Watts Appointed Non Exec

RNS Number : 5250X

Cairn Energy PLC

17 August 2009

 



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                         17 August 2009 

CAIRN ENERGY PLC

The following information regarding Dr Mike Watts, Deputy Chief Executive of Cairn Energy PLC, has been released to the London Stock Exchange today.

SOCO International plc

('SOCO' or the 'Company')

Appointment of Non-executive Director

SOCO is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mike Watts as a Non-executive Director with immediate effect. Dr Watts has also been appointed to serve on the Audit and Nominations Committees.

Dr Watts, aged 53, holds a BSc First Class Honours and PhD in Geology from Cardiff University. He is currently Deputy Chief Executive and New Business Director, previously Exploration and New Business Director, of FTSE 100 listed Cairn Energy PLC. He has been an Executive Director on Cairn's Board of Directors since joining them in 1996. He has previous industry experience in senior technical and management roles with Shell, Burmah and Premier as well as having been the Managing Director of Amsterdam listed Holland Sea Search which was acquired by Cairn in 1995.

Dr Watts holds 5,750 SOCO International plc ordinary shares of £0.20 each, representing 0.01% of the issued share capital of the Company.

Commenting on the appointment, Ed Story, SOCO's Chief Executive, stated:

'We are extremely pleased to have Mike join us on the Board. His industry experience as an explorationist will bring a great complementary skill set to existing board competencies. His reputation and relationships in the industry can only be beneficial as the Company begins its largest exploration campaign.'

The Company confirms that there are no additional matters requiring disclosure under Rule 9.6.13 of the Listing Rules.

NOTES TO EDITORS: 

• Cairn Energy PLC ('Cairn') is an Edinburgh-based oil and gas exploration and production company listed on the London Stock Exchange. Following the IPO of Cairn India in January 2007, there are two separate parts of the business:

• Cairn India Limited ('Cairn India') is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and has interests in a total of 13 acreage blocks in India and Sri Lanka. Cairn currently retains a 65% interest in Cairn India.

• Capricorn Oil Limited ('Capricorn'), a 90% subsidiary of Cairn is focused on exploration. Capricorn now has assets in Bangladesh, Nepal, Northern India, Greenland, Tunisia, Albania, and pending licence awards in Spain.

• Cairn has focused its activities on the geographic region of South Asia, which has already resulted in a significant number of oil and gas discoveries.  In particular, Cairn made a major oil discovery (Mangala) in Rajasthan in the north west of India at the beginning of 2004. Cairn has now made more than 20 discoveries in Rajasthan block RJ-ON-90/1. 

• Cairn India is headquartered in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi, with operational offices in Chennai, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. 

• Cairn Energy PLC (including Capricorn) is run from Edinburgh with operational offices in Dhaka, Chittagong and Kathmandu.

For further information on Cairn see www.cairnenergy.com  

 

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