Trump picks ExxonMobil chief as top diplomat
President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday tapped ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson, an oilman with deep ties to Russia, as his secretary of state.
Tillerson's nomination comes just days after a secret CIA report accused Russia of interfering with the US election in favor of Trump, in a development which could complicate his confirmation.
Rex Wayne Tillerson (born March 23, 1952) is an American businessman and is the chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation, the fifth largest company by market capitalization.
Tillerson joined The Exxon Company in 1975 as a production engineer.
1989: Tillerson became general manager of the central production division of Exxon USA. In 1995, he became president of Exxon Yemen Inc. and Esso Exploration and Production Khorat Inc.
1998: He became a vice president of Exxon Ventures (CIS) and president of Exxon Neftegas Limited with responsibility for Exxon's holdings in Russia and the Caspian Sea.
1999: With the merger of Exxon and Mobil, he was named executive vice president of ExxonMobil Development Company.
2004: He became president and director of ExxonMobil.
2006: Tillerson was elected chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), following the retirement of Lee Raymond.
2011: Tillerson signed an agreement with Russia for drilling in the Arctic that could be valued up to $300 billion.
2014: Although the company began drilling in the Kara Sea in summer of 2014, sanctions against Russia during the Ukrainian crisis brought the project to a halt in September of that year.
2013: Tillerson was awarded the Order of Friendship by Putin.