Longtime energy executive Rebecca A. McDonald has resigned from her spot on Noble Energy’s board of directors in order to accept a position as president of gas and power for Australian-based BHP Billiton, a large diversified resources company that includes petroleum exploration and production operations. The company was the second highest bidder in the Minerals Management Service’s Central Gulf Lease Sale 190 last Wednesday (see related story).

In addition, she accepted a position as a member of the BHP Billiton executive committee. Effective March 29, McDonald will be tasked with the development and implementation of BHP Billiton’s gas marketing and commercialization strategy in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region and will report to Phil Aiken, group president Energy. Prior to joining BHP Billiton, she served as president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, having been on the board of trustees for five years.

McDonald has over 20 years of experience in the energy industry, including from 1993 to 1995 as group vice president at Amoco Corp., where she was responsible for Amoco’s worldwide natural gas commercialization and North American natural gas liquids business. From 1995 to 1999, she was president and CEO of Amoco Energy Development Corp., responsible for the development of equity interests in international natural gas and power production operations.

Following Amoco, McDonald was chairman and CEO of Enron Global Assets from 1999 to May 2001, responsible for the growth and operations of its asset portfolio throughout Asia, Africa and South America. These operations included natural gas and liquids pipelines, gas and electricity distribution companies, power plants and gas processing facilities.

With McDonald leaving, Houston-based Noble Energy said its number of directors will decrease to seven. “All of us at Noble Energy wish Rebecca well as she returns to an active leadership position within our industry,” said CEO Charles D. Davidson.

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