OREANDA-NEWS. Sasol CEO, David Constable, today announced that Ernst Oberholster, current managing director of Sasol New Business Development, will replace senior group executive, Lean Strauss.

Strauss will retire from Sasol at the end of this month, having spent more than 30 years with Sasol.

Oberholster is the current managing director of Sasol New Business Development. Oberholster has been with Sasol for more than 23 years and has taken a leading role in the international energy and new business development arenas. He has been the driving force behind the initiation of many of Sasol’s largest projects, including the US mega-projects, the Canadian gas acquisitions and Uzbeksitan GTL. Oberholster has successfully developed Sasol New Business Development to be the primary negotiator in many of Sasol’s key projects and joint ventures.

Speaking at the announcement of Sasol’s year-end financial results, Sasol CEO, David Constable said Oberholster has been working very closely with Strauss in the international energy and business development arenas.

“Ernst is a seasoned dealmaker and an astute businessman and has been the driving force behind the initiation of many of our largest projects, including our US mega-projects, the Canadian gas acquisitions and Uzbeksitan GTL”, Constable said.

Oberholster will take over as group executive: International Energy, New Business Development and Technology, on 1 October 2013.

Prior to his role at Sasol New Business Development, Oberholster held positions as the managing director of Sasol Synfuels International and the managing director of Sasol Oil. In the early part of his career at Sasol, he was also the general manager of fuels marketing, and also took responsibility for supply, refining and planning.

Oberholster is a director on a number of Sasol boards and serves as a member of a number of Group Committees.