Rex W Tillerson, the new chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation, has become the latest leading industry figure to accept an invitation to speak at the ONS 2006 conference in Stavanger.

He is due to address the opening session of this event on 22 August, providing an industry perspective on the challenges facing the world in bridging the energy gap.

Mr Tillerson has been with ExxonMobil since joining the world’s largest oil company as a production engineer in 1975. He succeeded Lee Raymond in the top job on 1 January.

In addition, he holds a number of important directorships in industry, research and the wider community.

"This is extremely gratifying," says Kjell Ursin-Smith, managing director of the ONS Foundation which organises the biennial conference and exhibition.

"Mr Tillerson is one of the major authorities in the industry, and now joins the ranks of other leading executives who have prioritised ONS as their podium."

ExxonMobil ranks among the really interesting companies in today’s oil industry. With large oil and gas reserves as well as operations in every continent, its role in and influence on the world energy market is indisputable.

"Bridging the energy gap is our theme for ONS 2006, and having authoritative speakers who can actually make a significant contribution to that subject is clearly important," says Mr Ursin-Smith.

He praises the work of conference manager May-Lis Thorsson and the ONS 2006 conference committee chaired by Siv Oftedal from Statoil in putting together the programme.

"The way things are now falling into place, we will soon be able to present one of the most interesting meetings in the history of ONS."