O’Reilly succeeds David Usasz who has chaired the company for the last three years and remains on the board as a non-executive director.

O’Reilly is one of Australia’s most experienced resource and energy industry executives, with extensive board, chief executive and senior executive experience in Australia and internationally.

Usasz welcomed O’Reilly, saying his broad experience would make him a significant asset to the Ambre Energy team.

“We are confident that Terry will make a valuable contribution to the success of Ambre Energy in building a vertically integrated business which sells US thermal coal to customers in Asia and Europe,” Usasz said.

“He brings unique insights into mining operations and world coal markets which will help us to continue our successful strategy of optimizing coal assets in the US and developing the infrastructure to supply export markets with high-quality thermal coal.”

O’Reilly was on the board of Macarthur Coal from October 2008 to October 2011 and served on the audit and special projects committees and as chair of the nomination and remuneration committee.

He is currently the chairman of Superior Coal, an unlisted public company specializing in the processing of waste coals and he is also a non-executive director with Thomas & Coffey.

Previously, he served as managing director of Conzinc Asia based in Singapore, MD of Pacific Coal based in Brisbane and MD of Coal and Allied Industries based in Sydney.

He also served on the boards of Port Waratah Coal Terminal and Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, as chairman of the Australian Coal Association, Queensland Coal Operators, the New South Wales Minerals Council and the World Coal Institute Promotions Committee and was president of the Australian Philippines Business Council.

O’Reilly said in the three years Usasz was chairman of Ambre, the company had been transformed from an emerging junior to a substantial operating resource company.

Ambre Energy is planning an Australian Securities Exchange listing in mid-2012.