Namibia-focused junior Reconnaissance Energy Africa has raided the E&P gene pool of former US independent Anadarko Petroleum as part of a drive to strengthen its exploration and development team under the watchful eye of recently installed chief executive Brian Reinsborough.

Vancouver-based ReconAfrica, whose shares trade in Toronto and Frankfurt, attracted unwelcome attention in recent years due to governance, environmental and stock price issues, so the board instigated a changing of the guard in late summer, with Reinsborough replacing Scot Evans as chief executive in early August.