Three-horse race to replace Frank Chapman at BG Group

Two years before BG Group's chief executive Frank Chapman retires, the gas explorer today promoted three executives who will battle to take on the top job.

Brazil-focused BG said it was also planning an external search to plan for succession, but that within the firm, Chris Finlayson, Fabio Barbosa and Martin Houston had been earmarked as potential replacements for Chapman, who has said he plans to retire when he turns 60 in 2013.

Finlayson, who joined BG last summer having worked at Shell for 33 years, is to become managing director of technology division BG Advance, while also joining the BG board. Barbosa will add strategy and portfolio development to his existing role of finance officer, and Houston is to become chief operating officer.

Jørn Berget, managing director of BG Advance, has left BG's group executive committee ahead of his retirement next year.

Earlier this month, BG named Andrew Gould, the chairman and former chief executive of oilfield services company Schlumberger, as its next chairman. He will replace the incumbent Sir Robert Wilson, BG's chairman since 2004, next May.

Gould will lead the board in deciding which of the trio - or an external alternative - will be the next chief executive.