Senior management
The Senior management of the Company comprises the Executive Directors, Wael Sawan and Sinead Gorman, and those listed below. All are members of the Executive Committee (see “Governance Framework”).
Harry Brekelmans
Projects & Technology Director
Tenure
Eight years and five months (appointed October 2014)
Age
57
Nationality
Dutch
Career
Harry was previously Executive Vice President Upstream International Operated, based in the Netherlands. He joined Shell in 1990 and has held various management positions in Exploration and Production, Internal Audit, and Group Strategy and Planning. From 2011 to 2013, he was Country Chair Russia and Executive Vice President for Russia and the Caspian region.
Donny Ching
Legal Director
Tenure
Nine years and one month (appointed February 2014)
Age
58
Nationality
Malaysian
Career
Donny was previously General Counsel for Projects & Technology, based in the Netherlands. He joined Shell in 1988 based in Australia and then moved to Hong Kong and later to London. In 2008, he was appointed Head of Legal at Shell Singapore, having served as Associate General Counsel for Gas & Power in Asia-Pacific.
Ronan Cassidy
Chief Human Resources and Corporate Officer
Tenure
Seven years and two months (appointed January 2016)
Age
56
Nationality
British
Career
Ronan previously served as EVP HR for both the Downstream and Upstream International businesses in turn. He joined Shell in 1988 and has held various HR positions across the Shell value chain, including regional roles in Europe and NE Asia/China, and global roles in HR Strategy & Regional Coordination, Retail and LPG.
Ed Daniels
Strategy, Sustainability and Corporate Relations Director
Tenure
One year and one month (appointed February 2022)
Age
57
Nationality
British
Career
Ed was previously Executive Vice President Strategy, Portfolio & Sustainability. He joined Shell in 1988 and has held roles in Shell’s Upstream, Integrated Gas, and Downstream businesses and our Projects & Technology organisation. He previously served as Shell’s UK Country Chair.
Huibert Vigeveno
Downstream Director
Tenure
Three years and two months (appointed January 2020)
Age
53
Nationality
Dutch
Career
Huibert was previously Executive Vice President Global Commercial. He joined Shell in 1995 as a business analyst and led many Downstream businesses across Shell in Europe, Africa, North and South America as well as Asia. In 2009, Huibert was appointed Vice President Supply & Distribution, Europe and Africa. In 2012 he became Executive Chair of Shell in China, and in 2016 led the integration of BG Group.
Zoë Yujnovich
Upstream Director
Tenure
One year and five months (appointed October 2021)
Age
47
Nationality
Australian
Career
Zoë has held various management positions in Downstream, Integrated Gas and Upstream. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President Conventional Oil & Gas and was previously Chair and Executive Vice President Shell Australia Pty Ltd. She joined Shell from Rio Tinto in 2014 to lead Shell’s Oil Sands business in Canada.
Changes to the Executive Committee (Senior Management)
As announced on January 30, 2023, Shell is to reduce the size of its Executive Committee from nine to seven members in a decisive move designed to simplify the organisation further and improve performance as we continue to deliver our Powering Progress strategy.
Under the changes, which are expected to take effect on July 1, 2023, Shell’s Integrated Gas and Upstream businesses will be combined to form a new Integrated Gas and Upstream Directorate led by current Upstream Director, Zoe Yujnovich. The Downstream business will be combined with Renewables and Energy Solutions to form a new Downstream and Renewables Directorate led by current Downstream Director, Huibert Vigeveno.
Separately, the Strategy, Sustainability and Corporate Relations (SSCR) Directorate will be discontinued and its Director, Ed Daniels, will step down from the Executive Committee (effective July 1, 2023), and leave Group service thereafter. Strategy will be brought together with New Business Development and, alongside Sustainability, will report directly to Sinead Gorman, Chief Financial Officer, enabling more streamlined planning and better capital allocation decisions. Corporate Relations will report directly to Wael Sawan, Chief Executive Officer. We thank Ed for his distinguished service over more than 34 years and wish him well for the future.
