The chief executive of oil and gas explorer Aminex Jay Bhattacherjee is to step down from his position with immediate effect due to health reasons.

In a note to investors on Friday, Aminex said it had appointed Tom Mackay as interim chief executive. It added that Linda Beal would take over as the senior non-executive director.

Aminex chairman John Bell said everyone in the company wished Mr Bhattacherjee well in the future.

Mr Mackay is a geologist/petroleum engineer with a successful career in petroleum operations, management and financing.

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With a BSc in geology from Durham University, he began his career as a petroleum engineer with Shell. He has been an active petroleum consultant on acquisition and new venture projects with a wide range of clients, including Petrofac and Enquest. For a period he served as chief executive of Oil Quest Holdings, and from 2002 to 2007 he held senior management positions at Stratic Energy Corporation. He was appointed a director of Aminex in September 2014.