Shane Harris becomes ExxonMobil Nigeria Chairman, MD, as Laing retires

Oredola Adeola

Exxon Mobil has appointed Mr. Shane Harris as Chairman and Managing Director and led country manager of its three affiliates in Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East)

 Harris succeeds Mr. Richard Laing, who took over as the company’s Chairman/MD in 2020, is now retiring after 33 years of service effective July 1, 2023.

Prior to his appointment, Harris was Chairman and President of ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia incorporated.

In his acceptance speech, Harris said, “It is a privilege to lead the ExxonMobil team in Nigeria and build on the works that Richard Laing has done over the last three years. I look forward to the work that lies ahead and continuing the company’s outstanding relationships.

 Since joining ExxonMobil in 1998, Harris has held a variety of leadership, engineering, and business assignments in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Russia, and the United States.

In two of these previous assignments, he served as asset manager for Imperial Oil’s Kearl Oil sand mining asset in northern Alberta, Canada, and as Exxon Mobil’s global drilling technical manager in Houston.

Harris is Australian and hold a bachelor’s degree  in mechanical engineering from the University of Newcastle , Australia