BG Group, one of the world's leading LNG companies, has appointed retired Australian Labor Party politician and former Federal Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson to its board of directors.
BG Chairman Andrew Gould said Ferguson's appointment as a non-executive director would bring to the UK company's boardroom added international expertise.
The Australian LNG and energy industries were critical of damaging energy policies during Labor's tenure which was a time of rising LNG project costs and increased regulation.
"With Australia poised to become one of the world's leading suppliers of LNG, and with BG set to deliver the world's first coal-seam-gas-to-LNG project in 2014, Martin's insight and experience in the development of Australia's natural gas industry and the growing LNG market in Asia will prove invaluable to the board," Gould stated.
Ferguson was Australia's energy minister for almost six years until his retirement from politics in 2013 when Labor lost the Australian general election. During his time in office, he was also the Federal Minister for Tourism.
He was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in 1996 as the Australian Labor Party's Member for Batman, a Melbourne-based constituency.
He was responsible for several portfolios while in opposition until 2007, including transport, employment, training, multi-cultural affairs, regional development, infrastructure, roads and primary industries.
He was President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions for six years until entering parliament and is a life member of Australia's Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union.
Ferguson is also chairman of an advisory board to the Australian oil and gas industry association, the APPEA.
