UK Coal chief to leave as it restructures board

Britain's biggest coal miner is to restructure its board and will split the responsibility for its coal and property operations.

The Doncaster company's losses widened in 2009 after production problems at its underground mines and lower prices received for its coal under legacy sales contracts.

It said today that the planned transition of its deep mine business has now been achieved and that the legacy contracts, which have constrained UK Coal over many years, will be substantially completed in 2011.

The group plans to appoint an executive chairman rather than being led by a non-executive chairman and chief executive.

As of August 1, Gareth Williams, currently group mining director, will become managing director of the Mining Division, while non-executive director Owen Michaelson, currently a representative of Peel Holdings, will leave Peel to become full time managing director of the Property Division.

Both divisional MDs will sit on the board of the group.