Kruger, who spent nearly four decades at Exxon Mobil, takes over one of Canada’s largest oil producers as it works to improve its safety record and grapples with pressure from Elliott. Under Kruger, Imperial started up the Kearl oil sands expansion project in Alberta and divested hundreds of fuel stations to focus on production and refining. He retired as CEO at the end of 2019.
“Kruger brings with him fully integrated oil sands expertise and was held in high regard amongst the investment community during his time at Imperial,” Phil Skolnick, an analyst at Eight Capital, said in a note. “Imperial’s Kearl oil sands mining project had problems in its early days, albeit not to the same extent as Fort Hills, which became rear view under Kruger’s leadership.”
Kruger also worked in the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia and the Middle East before taking the top job at Imperial Oil in 2013.
Kris Smith, previously Suncor’s…
