Another Indian makes it big, Atul Gupta's CEO of UK co

LONDON: Yet another Indian professional has emerged at the top in an international company, though he’s not yet a household name like an Indra Nooyi or an Arun Sarin.

Atul Gupta has been appointed as the chief executive at Burren Energy, an independent oil and gas exploration & production company. A £1.3bn FTSE-250 company, Burren has operations in Congo, Oman, Egypt, Turkmenistan, Yemen, and acquired a 26% stake in Hindustan Oil Exploration in ’05.

Mr Gupta, who joined Burren in 1999 as chief operating officer, takes over from Finian O’Sullivan, who has been appointed president with a brief to develop new businesses.

The 46-year-old Mr Gupta takes over at a time when the company –– under some pressure from investors in previous quarters –– has just reported a 70% jump in interim profits for six months ended June ’06, and encouraging new finds in Congo and Turkmenistan.

Mr Gupta will have to deliver to investors on the promise of rich oil finds, a strategy which the company has pursued in the recent past. Mr O’Sullivan, the outgoing CEO, said, “Burren has continued its significant growth over the last few years leading again to record profits and cash flow.

In addition, we are beginning to see the benefits from our planned shift to exploration drilling. I am delighted to welcome Atul Gupta, who has been associated with Burren and myself since 1993, to take up the role of CEO.”

Mr Gupta, born in India, moved to Britain as a child. He has a degree in chemical engineering from the Cambridge University, and has studied petroleum engineering at the Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh. Prior to his joining Burren, he has worked with companies like Charterhouse Petroleum, Petrofina, and Monument.