AWE Ltd. (ASX: AWE) has named David Biggs as its new CEO and managing director, starting in early May 2016, the company said in a news release.

The leadership change is part of the company’s succession plan. Biggs is replacing Bruce Clement, who has been given six months’ notice of termination of his employment in accordance with his employment agreement, the company said. Clement’s employment with AWE will end in September 2016 or earlier if Clement and AWE agreed to a different date.

Biggs has more than 35 years of experience in the upstream oil and gas sector. He has worked throughout Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the Americas with both large multi-national and smaller organizations, AWE said in the release.

He is currently CEO of Cue Energy Ltd., a position he has held for the last three years. Prior to that he spent almost 20 years with BHP Billiton Petroleum (BHPB), rising to the positions of vice president, commercial, and vice president, land and upstream agreements, based in Houston, the release said. Part of these responsibilities included membership of the exploration leadership team. Prior to BHPB, he worked with the Natural Gas Corp. and the Petroleum Corp. of New Zealand.

Biggs brings extensive experience in leadership, strategy and planning, business improvement, P&L management and commercial transactions, particularly M&A and gas marketing, AWE said.