Armour leaves BE to focus his energies elsewhere

Published on Saturday 6 June 2009 14:23

ROBERT Armour, company secretary at British Energy, will follow chief executive Bill Coley and step down from the nuclear energy company this summer.

Armour, who is also general counsel, will leave BE in July following its 12.5 billion takeover by French energy company EDF earlier this year.

He said in a statement to Scotland on Sunday that the time had come for a "new challenge" but his departure is thought to be part of a major restructuring of the East Kilbride-based firm in the wake of the EDF deal.

Armour departs after nearly 20 years at British Energy. He is the only executive to have stayed with the firm throughout its turbulent history and he played a leading role in restructuring BE when it was forced to seek a government bail-out in 2002. He is a well-known figure in Scotland and an outspoken critic of the SNP's anti-nuclear policy.

Armour said he is yet to decide his next move but he is tempted to go for a portfolio of roles.

He said: "Utilities are thought to be dull, but the nuclear sector has never been lacking interest or controversy and I have loved being at the heart of that. But now, with the acquisition of British Energy by EDF, which has proved a very happy combination, leading the way to nuclear new-build in the UK, the time has come for me to find a new challenge."

He will be replaced by Jean McDonald, currently head of legal services, with whom he has worked closely since 1991.

In a statement from BE, outgoing chief executive Coley said: "If anyone could write the book on British Energy, Robert could. He's been a tower of strength for nigh on 20 years, from before privatisation through to our integration with EDF Energy."

Coley is to be replaced by Andrew Spurr, currently chief technical officer, who will take the new title of "managing director of existing nuclear".