Simon Herbert has been appointed to lead Esso’s Retail business in the UK and Ireland, replacing Dr. Karen Dickens, who has moved into a new role as Global Fuels Programme executive, ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants Marketing Company.

A qualified accountant with a Masters degree in Astrophysics, Simon has worked for 14 years in a variety of management roles in ExxonMobil’s fuel businesses, in the UK, the US and Belgium. Until March 2012 Simon was EAME operations manager, Aviation Fuels. He most recently worked on a project to merge ExxonMobil’s Global Fuels & Lubricants businesses.

In his new role as director, Esso Petroleum Company, Limited, Simon will be responsible for the network of more than 900 Esso service stations in the UK (around 550 company owned) and over 100 Esso-branded service stations in Ireland (40 company owned).

In her new role Karen will be responsible for the global development and introduction of ExxonMobil’s retail fuel products including advance fuels developments.