BG Group general counsel Graham Vinter will step down later this year ahead of the energy company's £47bn takeover by oil giant Shell.

It is understood that Vinter's decision to retire predates the announcement of the tie-up yesterday.

He will be replaced by Norwegian aluminium manufacturer Sapa's GC, Tom Eide, from 1 September.

Vinter, who has been in charge of BG's in-house legal team since 2007 after heading Allen & Overy's (A&O) project finance team for 11 years, oversaw BG's first legal panel appointments in 2010. At that time the exploration and development company chose A&O, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, legacy Herbert Smith and CMS Cameron McKenna as its four panel advisers.

Three years later, Vinter dropped Herbert Smith Freehills and A&O from the roster, handing a spot to Clifford Chance as the company slimmed down its panel.

When Legal Week profiled the enigmatic Vinter in 2011, BG's legal team was 130-strong.

A BG spokesperson said the structure of the in-house team after the merger of Shell and BG had yet to be decided since the deal is only due to complete in early 2016.

The Shell deal handed lead roles to Slaughter and May and Freshfields, with Slaughters advising Shell and Freshfields acting for BG.