Saudi Arabian state oil giant Aramco has expanded its board of directors to 11 members (up from nine). The board is the most international ever – five of the 11 are foreigners. It also has a growing emphasis on the downstream, which is a key part of the firm’s aim to become a global integrated petroleum player (MEES, 13 April).

Of the five new appointees, all three of the foreign appointees are from a downstream background (see table). All three are also American and they include Aramco’s first ever female board member, Lynn Lavarty Elsenhams, former CEO of Sunoco (a firm now solely focussed on fuel retail but which was involved in refining until 2012, the year Ms Elsenhans deparated from the company). (CONTINUED - 439 WORDS)