Cadogan Petroleum has appointed Chicco Testa as a non-executive director of the Company with effect from 1 October 2011.

Chicco Testa (59) is an Italian national with a long and varied background in the energy market. Formerly chairman of the Board of ACEA (the Rome electricity and water utility company) from 1996 to 2002. He was also chairman of the Board of Enel Spa, the major Italian electricity supplier, during its privatisation. From 2005 to 2009 he was chairman of Roma Metropolitane, the Rome council owned company constructing new underground lines.

He was also chairman of the Organising Committee for the 20th World Energy Congress held in Rome in November 2007, senior partner at the Franco Bernabè Group which owns several investments in the IT sector and from 2002 to 2005, member of the Advisory Board of Carlyle Europe and chairman of the Italian Nuclear Forum since 2010.

He is currently managing director of Rothschild Spa, a director of Allianz Spa, chairman of the AIM listed telecommunications company Telit Communications Plc, vice chairman of Intecs Spa and chairman of Energie Valsabbia Spa - a company developing hydropower and solar generation plants.

A journalist and academic, Mr Testa was national secretary and president of the Italian environmental organisation Legambiente from 1980 to 1987 and a representative in the Italian Chamber of Deputies from 1987 to 1994.

Mr Zev Furst continues as interim chairman whilst further Board appointments are being concluded.

Commenting on the appointment, Bertrand des Pallieres, chief executive officer, stated: "The Board of Cadogan welcomes Chicco Testa as a director. His wide experience in the energy sector will be of great benefit to Cadogan as it seeks to develop its operations in Ukraine and elsewhere, to create value for all shareholders."

Tags: Cadogan Petroleum plc