Charles Williamson named CEO of Unocal

Petroleum News Alaska

Unocal Corp. said Dec. 5 that Charles R. Williamson has been elected the company’s chief executive officer.

Williamson, currently executive vice president, international operations, will succeed Roger C. Beach, who will retire as chairman and CEO at the end of December after nearly 40 years with the company.

Timothy H. Ling has been named president and chief operating officer. Ling is currently executive vice president, North America operations.

John W. Creighton Jr., one of Unocal’s outside directors, has been elected non-executive chairman of the board of directors.

The appointments are effective Jan. 1.

Williamson, 52, joined Unocal in 1977. He has spent his career in exploration and production, holding senior positions of increasing responsibility in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Thailand. He was named executive vice president, international energy operations and a member of Unocal’s board of directors in 1999. Williamson holds a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Ling, 42, joined Unocal in 1997 as CFO. He was named executive vice president, North America energy operations and a member of Unocal’s board of directors in 1999. Previously, Ling was a partner with McKinsey & Co. He received a bachelor of science degree from Cornell University and a master of business administration from Stanford University.

Creighton, 68, was president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser Co. from 1991 until his retirement in 1997. He was elected to Unocal’s board of directors in 1995 and is also a director of UAL Inc.