Total names new bosses as Russia probes crash

PARIS

French oil giant Total on Wednesday named new bosses to lead one of the world’s biggest energy companies after its chief executive was killed in Moscow when his private jet hit a snowplough on takeoff.

Executives decided at an emergency meeting to bring back Mr Thierry Desmarest — who was both chairman and chief executive at Total from 1995 to 2007 — as chairman of the group after Christophe de Margerie’s death.

Mr Desmarest, who had once prepared De Margerie for the top job, now appears to have been asked to do the same for newly named chief executive Philippe Pouyanne, who currently heads the refining and chemicals division.

He will stay on until the end of 2015 when Pouyanne is expected to be ready to assume the chairman’s job as well, ensuring a smooth transition after the sudden death of 63-year-old De Margerie, known by the affectionate nickname “Big Moustache”.

PLUMMETED SHARES
Total’s shares were down 0.51 per cent in early afternoon trade, but had recovered from a low point hit before the new appointments were made.

In Moscow, French investigators joined a local team to probe Monday’s fatal late night accident, which Russian experts said was caused by criminal negligence on the part of senior airport officials.

Investigators began analysing the black boxes, which record the flight history and conversations in the cockpit.

Questions rose over the safety of the Vnukovo airport used often by VIPs, as Russian media reported that an intern was in charge of directing the plane at the time of the crash shortly before midnight.

Three crew members on the executive jet were also killed.

The snowplough driver, who was accused by investigators of having been drunk on the job, said he drove on to the runway after losing his bearings.

He said he could not understand how he drove into the path of the plane.