Chemical firm Orica says former oil and gas head Russell Caplan has been elected company chairman to take over from Peter Duncan next year.

Mr Caplan is a director of Aurizon, chairman of the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust and chairman of CRC CARE.

He was previously chairman of Shell in Australia and a director of Woodside Petroleum.

Mr Duncan will retire at Orica’s next annual general meeting, in January 2014.

A director of Growthpoint Properties Australia Maxine Brenner has been appointed an Orica director, effective immediately.

Ms Brenner is also managing director of investment banking at Investec Bank (Australia).