Signifying a changing of the guard of sorts, BP plc’s board said Thursday that Tony Hayward, 45, will succeed Richard Olver , 56, as CEO of BP’s vast Exploration and Production unit. Hayward most recently held the position of COO for Exploration and Production. Olver will replace Rodney Chase, 59, in his duties as deputy chief executive. BP said Chase will retire from the company on April 23, 2003, but will relinquish his role as deputy chief executive “with immediate effect.” Chase will remain on the board as senior advisor to BP CEO John Browne. In his new position, Olver will hold accountability for health, safety and the environment, human resources management, marketing, technology and digital business. BP said he will have regional responsibility for Europe (including Russia), the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. The board also announced that it intends to appoint Hayward, John Manzoni, 43, chief executive of Refining and Marketing, and David Allen , 48, group chief of staff, to the board as managing directors of BP, effective Feb. 1. The company said Allen will be accountable for economics and planning, corporate communications and senior management education.

Duke Energy on Thursday named A.R. Mullinax to the position of executive vice president of Duke Energy Business Services (DEBS), a new organizational unit that will deliver support services to the company’s business units and corporate groups. In the new position, Mullinax will report to Fred Fowler, Duke Energy president and COO. Mullinax formerly was president and CEO of DukeNet Communications, which develops and operates fiber-optic communications systems. William “Brad” Davis , currently vice president of engineering and operations for DukeNet, will succeed Mullinax as president and CEO of the unit. The DEBS unit will provide global sourcing and logistics, information technology services, corporate real estate services and human resources services to Duke Energy’s businesses and corporate functions. In addition, Duke Energy said Duke/Fluor Daniel, Energy Delivery Services and DukeNet Communications will all become part of the new organization. Mullinax has served as Duke Energy’s chief e-business officer and formerly led the global sourcing and logistics function. He held several leadership positions with PanEnergy Corp. before that company merged with Duke Power Co. in 1997 to create Duke Energy. Davis has had a 20-year career with Duke Energy and Duke Power. The company said he has held a series of “groundbreaking” positions as the company built its information technology and management capabilities.

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