New executive manager for Mol Romania

MOL Romania, part of Hungarian oil group MOL, will have a new executive manager starting early next year. His name is Zsolt Szalay, 34.

The change at the top of the Romanian unit”s management is meant to re-launch operations carried by MOL Romania, amid tough competition generated by the privatisation of Petrom, 51% owned by Austrian group OMV at present, as well as by the aggressive development plans revealed by Rompetrol and LukOil.

Starting January 1, 2006, Szalay, the current marketing manager of MOL Plc, will take over the Romanian company”s reins from Karoly Robak. Robak will be relocated to Hungary, where he is to take over the role of strategic advisor to the retail executive manager.

Beside the CEO position, Szalay will also take over the position of head of MOL Romania”s retail and business development department. Sorina Baltatu, the former executive manager of Shell Romania, is currently heading this department. Top management changes will end with the relocation of Sorina Baltatu to a similar position in Slovnaft Slovakia, a member of MOL group.

These changes dictated by MOL group”s top management could indicate a policy change or a new operational stage, as OMV, Rompetrol and LukOil last year entered a tight fight for the top positions on the market.

The new head of MOL Romania previously filled the position of marketing manager within MOL Plc (since 2002) after having worked as a marketing manager for Central and Eastern Europe with Michelin in 2001, and with Porsche Hungary in 1998. roxana.petrescu@zf.ro