By David French

NEW YORK, May 4 (Reuters) - Lazard LAZ.N has hired former Western Midstream Partners WES.N Chief Executive Michael Ure as a senior adviser in the investment bank's power, energy and infrastructure group, according to a statement.

Based in Houston, Ure starts at Lazard after a more than 20-year career in executive and management roles, the statement said. This included time at Occidental Petroleum OXY.N, where he served as senior vice president of business development, and Shell SHEL.L.

His most prominent role though was as head of Western Midstream. Named as CEO in August 2019, Ure guided the pipeline company in the wake of Occidental's transformative acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum which gave it control of Western Midstream, until stepping down from the position in October 2024.

This experience in leading Western Midstream through a time of significant strategic and organizational change, which included complex capital-allocation and acquisition activity, gives Ure a rare perspective that will further strengthen the strategic advice which Lazard provides to clients across the global energy landscape, according to George Bilicic, the bank's global head of power, energy & infrastructure.

"Leaders like Michael bring a unique understanding of how critical decisions are made, and that perspective strengthens the differentiated advice Lazard delivers to clients," added Peter Orszag, CEO of Lazard.