UK shale player Cuadrilla has appointed board member Roy Franklin as the chairman with immediate effect.

He will replace former BP boss John Browne, who is the chairman of LetterOne, the investment arm owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman that bought RWE’s oil and gas unit last month.

A geologist by training, Mr Franklin has “extensive” petroleum industry experience, including several positions with British oil and gas companies, according to Cuadrilla.

He was awarded ‘Order of the British Empire’ in 2004 in recognition of his services to the oil and gas sector.