Mr Peattie, a BP Group vice president, has been recently appointed as head of BP’s businesses in Russia and Kazakhstan. He is responsible for BP’s interests in TNK-BP as well as its businesses in the Russian Arctic, Sakhalin and Kazakhstan.

He was nominated by BP and replaces James Dupree, who has recently moved from his responsibilities for BP’s Russian business to another role in the company.

Mr Peattie joined BP in 1979 as a petroleum engineer and has since moved through a series of commercial and leadership roles in exploration and production, chemicals and investor relations.