Because Seadrill Partners is attached at the hip to Seadrill Ltd (SDRL) it is vital that Seadrill Partners' Management and Board of Directors include high level people who are fully conversant with each company's operations and capital structure ... as well as having deep institutional knowledge of how each has evolved over the years.
Seadrill Partners announcement of the promotion of John Roche from CFO to CEO of Seadrill Partners means it benefits from the retention of his experience and institutional knowledge at both firms. Furthermore, the placing of Seadrill's Chief Operating Officer Leif Nelson on the Board of Seadrill Partners strengthens its contracting position; especially to ensure Seadrill Partners is best positioned to win new opportunities.
Seadrill Partners retains its Board Chairman, Harald Thorstein, who in my opinion is John Fredriksen's closest and most trusted aide. T.D.