Clough names new CEO

Former CB&I manager Peter Bennett has returned to Perth to succeed Kevin Gallagher as chief executive of engineering services company Clough.

In his new role, Mr Bennett will also be a director of Clough's parent company, South Africa-based Murray & Roberts, and serve as chief executive of its global oil and gas business.

He was most recently based in the Netherlands as CB&I Constructors' president of oil and gas international.

Before that Mr Bennett was based in Perth and held the role of senior vice-president of oil and gas operations in Australia and Asia Pacific for CB&I.

He spent 26 years with his former employer before taking the top job at Clough.

Murray & Roberts chief executive Henry Laas said Mr Bennett was an experienced oil and gas executive and would play an important role in the pursuit of the company’s strategic vision of being a leading international diversified project engineering, procurement and construction group by 2020.

“Considering Mr Bennett’s oil and gas, and specifically LNG experience, as well as his successful career at CB&I, he is the ideal candidate to lead the Murray & Roberts oil and gas business platform and Clough,” Mr Laas said.

Mr Bennett has more than 20 years’ experience in the oil and gas and LNG markets covering general management, operations, project management, business development and mergers and acquisitions.

He will begin in his new role from February 1.

Mr Gallagher stepped down as CEO in November last year to take on the same position at Santos.