The company that builds the TAP, the gas pipeline that will connect Azerbaijan and Europe without passing through Russia, announces the appointments of Luca Schieppati as new managing director, replacing Ian Bradshaw, and Walter Peeraer as president. Both appointments will take effect from 28 June 2017. Snam participates in the Tap with a 20% stake. Together with the Italian company, the shareholders also include BP (20%), Socar (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).
Schieppati comes from Snam, the largest natural gas utility in Europe, where he has worked since 1991. His most recent positions were Chief Industrial Assets Officer of Snam and managing director of Snam Rete Gas, the operating company of Snam which manages a pipeline network of 32.500 kilometers in Italy.
Schieppati brings 26 years of experience in pipeline development, plant construction and management of gas transmission and distribution companies in Italy and Europe to TAP.
Peeraer comes from Fluxys, the Belgian operator active in the transport and storage of gas, where he worked from 2002 to May 2016 and of which he was CEO and managing director. More recently he served on the board of directors of the same company.
Peeraer has more than 30 years of experience in the European utilities and gas sector and has extensive knowledge of markets, regulatory systems and infrastructures at a continental level. He was also a member of the board of directors of TAP.
“I am very satisfied with the arrival of Luca and Walter at the helm of Tap – commented the chairman of the board of directors, Joe Murphy – While construction works continue in all three countries, the project is entering an important new phase and I am sure that the many years of experience and the profound skills of our new managers will make an essential contribution to ensuring the European consumers the realization of the project on schedule and with full success”.
