Dan Doyle has stepped down from his position as chief of staff in the B.C. premier’s office.

A December 15 media release announcing the change did not include any reason.

Doyle’s role has been assumed by Steve Carr, deputy minister for natural-gas development, who will perform the role as special advisor to the premier.

Premier Christy Clark thanked Doyle for his work and welcomed Carr to the office.

“Dan Doyle deserves our warmest gratitude for his half-century of service to British Columbia and I am extremely pleased that Dan will continue to provide wise counsel on an ongoing basis,” she said quoted in the government media release. “Steve Carr was most recently deputy minister of natural gas development and brings an outstanding record as a public servant to our office as we build a strong and diverse B.C. economy, jobs for families, and secure vital services into the future.”

Doyle is 74 years old and served as the premier’s chief of staff since 2012.

In a December 14 interview with the Vancouver Sun, Doyle framed the move as a natural step to semi-retirement.

“I'm slowing down,” he told reporter Rob Shaw.

"When I signed up, it was going to be for six months,” Doyle said. “So I'm five times that now. The deal was I was supposed to retire right after the election and move on. I got taken up with this premier. I liked working with her.”