"We would like to have someone with a long track record and someone with strong performance over an extended period of time, and experience in a global company," Hess told reporters after the company's annual general meeting on Wednesday. "We are open to any industry. I would hope at the latest by the end of year to have someone on board."

He said his preference would be for a candidate who wanted to continue the strategy set out by Eric Olsen, who is leaving the Franco-Swiss company after it admitted paying armed groups in Syria.

"I would want to make sure that strategic roadmap is followed and the new person would adopt and embrace the strategic roadmap as defined by Eric. Before new targets are set I would need a lot of convincing new targets are needed."

(Reporting by John Revill; editing by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi)