“Their skills, contacts and experience will be invaluable to the company as it embarks on a new phase of exploration focused on rebuilding New Zealand's oil and gas reserves".

Newman, who spent 22 years with British Petroleum, is also taking over from Bernhard Zinkhofer as board chairman. He now lives in Paraparaumu, north of Wellington.

Positions held by Tapper during his 34 years with Royal Dutch Shell included several years as Woodside Offshore Petroleum executive general manager. Tapper now resides in Auckland.