UPDATE 1-Statoil switches CFO as restructuring picks up pace

* To replace CFO Saetre with Torgrim Reitan

* To replace four executive committee positions

* To establish North America, Global Strategy divisions

* Changes to take effect from January 1, 2011

* Says on track to float gas station division in Q4

(Adds detail on retail unit IPO, CEO quotes; changes dateline)

By Gwladys Fouche

STAVANGER, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Norwegian energy firm Statoil (STL.OL) stepped up its restructuring with the appointment of a new chief financial officer and a reshuffle of its executive board and divisions, and confirmed it would list its gas station arm this year.

The restructuring, which will not hit jobs, comes as Statoil looks to increase its global production presence, particularly in the United States, and boost its exposure to renewables.

"We will have a better organization to deal with the internationalisation and the international assets that we have in Statoil," Chief Executive Helge Lund told Reuters.

Under the changes, effective next year, Statoil Chief Financial Officer Eldar Saetre will lead a new division for Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy, in Stavanger, and continue in the corporate executive committee (CEC).

Torgrim Reitan, head of Statoil's natural gas area's Trading and Operations department in London, will replace Saetre.

The company also announced the reshuffle of four other executives, which would help create "new opportunities for the next generation of leaders", Lund said in a statement.

The company will establish development and production in North America as a separate business area to reflect the importance of the region. Exploration and Global Strategy and Business Development will also constitute new business areas.

Lund added Statoil was pushing ahead with plans to spin off and float its international chain of gas stations, to reduce its exposure to low-margin fuel retailing.

"The retail division will be floated on the stock exchange by the end of the year," Lund told a press conference.

Lund told Reuters Statoil had picked bankers for the initial public offering, but declined to name the advisors.

The backbone of Statoil's activities and technology development would remain in Norway for many decades still, Lund said. However, to offset dropping production at home, Statoil had aggressively bought acreage internationally.

"The growth will come from outside Norway and our organisation needs to reflect that," Lund told Reuters, adding Statoil had increasingly been taking operatorships abroad.

"Our strategy remains firm," Lund said. "We will take out the full potential of the Norwegian Continental Shelf, build international growth platforms and gradually strengthen our position within renewable energy." (Writing by Richard Solem in Oslo; Editing by Hans Peters and Simon Jessop)