Thursday, September 21 2006 11:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: India-born and Cambridge-educated Atul Gupta has been appointed the chief executive officer of energy major Burren Energy, which has a 26 percent stake in Hindustan Oil Exploration Company (HOEC).

Gupta, 46, takes over as the head of the 1.3 billion pound FTSE 250-listed company.

Gupta holds degrees in chemical engineering from Cambridge University and petroleum engineering from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, and has worked for 17 years in the industry.

Before joining Burren in 1999 as chief operating officer, Gupta worked in international oil and gas production operations with companies that included Charterhouse Petroleum, Petrofina and Monument.

Gupta replaces Finian O'Sullivan, who has been made president and been charged with developing new businesses to generate growth and secure future earnings.

Born in India, Gupta moved to Britain at the age of eight. A keen cricketer, he lives in west London and also plays five-a-side football.