KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, 54, has been named the new group chief executive officer and president of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) effective April 1, 2015 to March 31,2018.
He succeeds Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas whose two- year contract expires today, who however would be staying on until March 31.
Wan Zulkiflee has been the chief operating officer and executive director of Petronas, and executive vice-president of the downstream business at Petronas Dagangan Bhd and chairman of Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd since June 1, 2010.
He joined Petronas in 1983 as a process engineer and was involved in the project implementation and operations of several gas processing facilities up to 1995.
In the ensuing years, he has held several positions in Petronas Group including serving in the Office of the President as Senior Manager (Downstream Business)/Executive Assistant to the President from June 1997 to September 2000 and as General Manager of International Projects Management Division of OGP Technical Services Sdn Bhd from October 2000 to November 2001.
Prior to the announcement, four names were rumoured to be potential candidates including; Datuk Mohd Anuar Taib, Datuk Ahmad Nizam Salleh and Md Arif Mahmood.