Price rout claims first oil services CEO scalp in Europe

* CEO Samir Brikho replaced with immediate effect

* CFO Ian McHoul temporarily takes the helm

* Brikho spearheaded $3 bln deal before oil price plunge (Updates throughout)

By Karolin Schaps

LONDON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Oil and gas services company Amec Foster Wheeler said on Monday it had replaced chief executive Samir Brikho with immediate effect, marking the first CEO ouster at a major European oil services company since oil prices started sliding.

Brikho spearheaded Amec's $3 billion purchase of Swiss engineer Foster Wheeler in 2014 when oil was trading at more than $100 a barrel, shortly before it began a precipitous slide that this week saw it plunge to 13-year lows below $30.

"Foster Wheeler is a good strategic deal but, with hindsight, it was done at the wrong price," said Alex Brooks, analyst at Canaccord Genuity (Other OTC: CCORF - news) .

In a Sunday meeting the board decided it was time for a leadership change, a person close to the discussions said, placing Chief Financial Officer Ian McHoul temporarily at the head of the 1.5 billion pound ($2.1 billion) company.

"The company's search (for a new CEO) will consider both internal and external candidates. Ian is not putting himself forward for the role," Amec Foster Wheeler (Other OTC: AMCBF - news) said in the surprise statement.

The company was forced to slash its dividend by half in November as it attempts to survive the oil price slump.

Global benchmark Brent crude prices have fallen 75 percent since a peak in mid-2014 due to a worldwide supply glut, with Amec Foster Wheeler's shares dropping nearly 70 percent over the same time.

Oil and gas service companies, which provide equipment and workforce to oil producers, have been particularly strongly hit by oil majors' cost cutting programmes as they try to save money during the downturn.

The stock market received the management reshuffle as positive, sending Amec Foster Wheeler's shares up 1.6 percent by 1532 GMT.

Some analysts disagreed about the timing.

"Change during the current market turmoil is unsettling," said analysts at Cenkos Securities (LSE: CNKS.L - news) .

Brikho, who had headed Amec since 2006, said in the company's statement he was appreciative of his colleagues' work.

"My aim has always been to help to create a leading integrated global service company capable of meeting our customer demands," he said.

Amec Foster Wheeler, which will report full-year results on March 10, also said on Monday trading in 2015 and the start of 2016 was in line with expectations.

($1 = 0.7001 pounds) (Additional reporting by Mamidipudi Soumithri in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Potter)