Thierry Desmarest, former CEO of Total, has been named chairman of the company's board and Patrick Pouyanné as chief executive officer.

Following the death of chairman and CEO Christophe de Margerie in an aviation accident in Russia last week, the company is splitting the two top jobs for an interim period.

At the end of 2015, when Desmarest, now 68, reaches the mandatory retirement age and steps down, the positions are to be merged again. Pouyanné is then expected to assume both functions.

Desmarest, who was CEO from 1995 to 2007, served as chairman from 2007 to 2010, is credited with engineering Total's acquisition of Belgium's Petrofina in 1999 and the subsequent hostile takeover of Elf Aquitaine.