Van Kersbergen takes the Xodus chair

ENERGY consultancy Xodus Group yesterday promoted non-executive director Edward van Kersbergen to the role of executive chairman as it strengthens its board ahead of a £40 million expansion.

The Aberdeen-based firm, which works in the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors, is targeting growth in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East as it aims to “at least double in size by 2015”.

Xodus, which was set up in 2005, turns over about £40m a year and has more than 400 staff in the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway and the United States.

Van Kersbergen’s career has included spells at Premier Oil, RDS-Resource and Shell. In 2001, he founded Netherlands-based sub-surface consultancy Horizon Energy Partners, which he sold to SGS in 2008.

Colin Manson, chief executive of Xodus Group, said “the time was right” to have a dedicated chairman on board to help the company reach its “ambitious” growth targets.