Calgary-based oil giant Suncor Energy announced Friday that its CEO Mark Little is stepping down, saying the move is “effective immediately.”
The company said its board and Little had mutually agreed that he would step down as president and CEO and resign from the board. Suncor’s executive vice president of downstream operations, Chris Smith, was named interim CEO.
The development comes a day after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it was investigating the death of a 26-year-old contractor who was struck by equipment at Suncor’s Base Mine near Fort McMurray, Alta.
Thursday’s death was the fifth workplace fatality at a Suncor site in Alberta since 2021.
Suncor did not mention the incidents in its news release Friday, but discussed safety as a priority at the company.
“Suncor is committed to achieving safety and operational excellence in our business, and we must recognize where we have fallen short and recognize the critical need for change,” board chairman Michael Wilson said in a statement.
“We commend Mark for his professionalism and the outstanding work he has done to lead Suncor through the pandemic and lead our sector’s progressive approach to the energy transition.”
“We thank him for his years of service to the company and wish him every success.”
Little joined the company in 2008 and held several leadership positions in the company’s oil sands and international and offshore operations before moving to the top of Suncor’s ranks.
He moved up from COO to become president of the company in late 2018 and took over as CEO a few months later.
Suncor said it has formed an executive search committee to conduct a global search to select the company’s next top executive. He said he has engaged a global executive recruiting firm to help with that process.
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