#BelfastLough - Chief Executive Robert Cooper has stepped down from his position in Harland & Wolff Group after a 44-year career at the shipyard, where he has been replaced by Jonathan Guest.

As The Irish News reports, he began his career at H&W as an accountant in 1974 and rose through its ranks during a time of great transition including the privatisation of the company and its purchase by Norwegian stock exchange listed Fred Olsen Energy. He had been CEO since February 2003.

His successor, who assumed the new role yesterday (May 1), had been director of business development and improvement for H&W Heavy Industries, having joined the firm four years ago from interior fit-out specialist MJM Group.

For more on the change of chief executive, click here.