ARII gets new president

ARII gets new president

JAKARTA (JP): The state oil company Pertamina reported yesterday that its production-sharing contractor, Atlantic Richfield Indonesia Inc. (ARII), will install Leon Codron as its new president today.

"Codron will replace T.N. Machmud, who is entering his retirement period after holding the post for 11 years," Pertamina spokesman Didi Sunarwinadi announced yesterday.

Cordon is the vice president for international marketing affairs of ARII's principal company, Arco Cop., in Plano, Texas.

Didi said that the replacement of Machmud by a foreign national should not be seen as the failure of the company's management to prepare Indonesian candidates for the post.

The company has been criticized by its own staff members and government officials due to its failure to promote an Indonesian executive to the top level of the company to replace Machmud. They said the appointment of any top foreign executive of Arco would be a "setback" for the company's management.

ARII, now the biggest supplier of natural gas for the state electricity company PT PLN and Petrokimia Gresik, has concessions offshore West Java, in Babo and Waringan, both in Irian Jaya, and in Kolasi in Sulawesi. (fhp)