Trump announces Exxon CEO Tillerson as secretary of state pick

United States president-elect Donald Trump has announced that ExxonMobil Corp boss Rex Tillerson is his pick for the key diplomatic position of secretary of state on Tuesday.

The chief executive officer of the oil corporation is likely to face a difficult passage through the US senate with both Republicans and Democrats having expressed reservations about his nomination.

Trump's transition team confirmed the news on Tuesday, with a statement referring to Tillerson as one of the "most accomplished business leaders and international dealmakers" in the world.

It is well documented that Tillerson has strong links to Russia, and the country's president Vladimir Putin, through his business deals involving Exxon, which Trump has previously mentioned would be an attribute for the position.

"A great advantage is he knows many of the players," Trump told Fox News. "And he knows them well. He does massive deals in Russia. He does massive deals for the company, not for himself, but the company."

Many are not convinced however that Tillerson's links to Putin and Russia, as well as his lack of diplomatic experience, are the ideal characteristics for a US secretary of state, particularly with regard to the country's involvement in the Syrian conflict in recent years.

Trump's rival during the Republican primary process, Florida senator Marco Rubio, was one of those critics. Rubio said on Twitter on Sunday that being a "friend of Vladimir" was not an "attribute" he would look for in candidates for the position.

Market analysts believe Tillerson's expected appointment to be positive news for the Russian Ruble, after the currency suffered following the Crimea sanctions in 2014.

"Trump's love for Putin is no secret and it seems increasingly likely that the Crimea Sanctions that nearly halved the value of the Ruble since 2014 could be reduced drastically in the coming months," said eToro's Mati Greenspan.