Exclusive: Shell exploration boss to step down

Royal Dutch Shell's head of exploration Ceri Powell will step down next month, capping three years in office marked by sharp cutbacks in the company's search for new oil and gas reserves amid the industry's deep downturn since mid-2014.

Powell, a geologist who joined Shell in 1990, will depart on February 13 and become managing director of Brunei Shell Petroleum the following month, according to a Shell spokeswoman.

Powell will be replaced by upstream strategy vice president Marc Gerrits, who started his career in Shell in 1986 as an exploration geologist in Australia.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso; editing by Jason Neely)