(19/09/22) Shell has appointed Wael Sawan as Chief Executive Officer after the current CEO, Ben van Beurden, announced that he will step down at the end of 2022.
Wael’s appointment is effective 1 January 2023, when he will also join Shell’s Board of Directors. Ben van Beurden will continue working as adviser to the Board until 30 June 2023, after which he will leave the group.
WaelSawan
“It’s been a privilege to work alongside Ben and I’m honoured to take over the leadership of this great company from him,” said Wael Sawan. “I’m looking forward to channelling the pioneering spirit and passion of our incredible people to rise to the immense challenges, and grasp the opportunities presented by the energy transition. We will be disciplined and value focused, as we work with our customers and partners to deliver the reliable, affordable and cleaner energy the world needs.”
Wael is currently the Director Integrated Gas, Renewables and Energy Solutions, and was previously the Director Upstream. He is based in The Hague and has been a member of Shell’s Executive Committee (EC) for three years.
Prior to joining EC, he was the Executive Vice President Deepwater and a member of the Upstream Leadership Team, and Executive Vice President Qatar and a member of the Integrated Gas Leadership Team.
He has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas during his 25-year Shell career, and has also held roles in Downstream Retail, and in various commercial and New Business Development projects.
Wael was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and is a dual Lebanese-Canadian national. He grew up in Dubai and holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from McGill University in Montreal and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Sir Andrew Mackenzie, Shell’s Chair, said, “Wael Sawan is an exceptional leader, with all the qualities needed to drive Shell safely and profitably through its next phase of transition and growth. His track record of commercial, operational and transformational success reflects not only his broad, deep experience and understanding of Shell and the energy sector, but also his strategic clarity. He combines these qualities with a passion for people, which enables him to get the best from those around him. The outcome of the Board’s managed succession process resulted both in the appointment of an outstanding CEO and proved the strength and depth of Shell’s leadership talent. I look forward to working with Wael as we accelerate the delivery of our strategy.”
Ben has been Shell CEO since 1 January 2014. Previously he was Downstream Director from January to September 2013 and Executive Vice President Chemicals from 2006 to 2012.
Prior to that, he held a number of operational and commercial roles in both Upstream and Downstream, including Vice President Manufacturing Excellence.
He joined Shell in 1983, after graduating with a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Delft University of Technology, Netherlands.
Ben joined the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz Group AG in April 2021.
“Ben can look back with great pride on an extraordinary 39-year Shell career, culminating in nine years as an exceptional CEO. During the last decade, he has been in the vanguard for the transition of Shell to a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 and has become a leading industry voice on some of the most important issues affecting society,” said Sir Andrew. “He leaves a financially strong and profitable company with a robust balance sheet, very strong cash generation capability and a compelling set of options for growth. These were all enabled by bold moves he has led, including the 2016 acquisition of BG and the transformational $30 billion divestment of non-core assets that followed. He took firm, decisive action to marshal the company through the global pandemic, seizing the opportunity for a major reset to ensure we emerged fitter, stronger and equipped to succeed in the energy transition. Powering Progress, Shell’s detailed strategy to accelerate our profitable transition to a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, was unveiled in February 2021 and was quickly followed by moves to simplify both our organisational and share structures. Ben’s legacy will frame Shell’s success for decades to come.”
Shell has officially stated that pursuant to Listing Rule 9.6.13(1) to (6) inclusive, there is no information to disclose regarding Wael Sawan.
