Ex-Kenya Shell boss to head Tullow in Uganda

Former Kenya Shell country chairman Jimmy Mugerwa has been appointed to head Tullow Oil in Uganda.

Tullow — the UK explorer that has discovered oil in Uganda and Kenya — confirmed yesterday that Mr Mugerwa would be its general manager from October.

“Tullow Oil is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Jimmy D. Mugerwa as general manager of Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Ltd and Tullow Uganda Limited.” Mr Mugerwa is leaving Kenya Shell after 20 years following the sale of 80 per cent of Shell Oil Products Africa to Vitol Oil SA and private equity fund Helios LLP for $1 billion. Shell retains 20 per cent interest in the group.

“I am excited about the opportunity and the challenge,” Mr Mugerwa said on Monday.

He was also Shell’s sales manager for East Africa and had worked for over 20 years in oil industry in Africa and Europe.

He held a number of managerial positions within Shell’s businesses in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and the Netherlands.

Tullow said Mr Mugerwa would oversee the development of the Lake Albert Basin oil fields which have an estimated 2.6 billion barrels.

Tullow co-owns the fields with Chinese firm CNOOC, France’s Total and the government of Uganda. Tullow Uganda has invested more than $1.5 billion in the fields.

The new owners of Shell Africa — which will be trading as Vivo Energy — intend to run the business from South Africa with managers in charge of regional markets.

Mr George Brunton, vice president for sales and operations in North and East Africa for Shell Oil Products Africa, will now lead the Kenyan unit, pending the takeover. Kenya Shell joins a growing list of companies pulling out of Kenya for diverse reasons.

They include BP, Chevron, Mobil and Agip.

Shell controls 19.2 per cent of the Kenyan market, behind Total (21.7 per cent) and KenolKobil (25 per cent).