Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com Rotating Header Image

June 29th, 2005:

The passing of national champions

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Financial Times: The passing of national champions

“Senior figures from the company even had to approach Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, to gain her royal assent for the move. It is believed to be the first time the Dutch royal monicker has been applied to a UK-listed company.”

Wednesday 29 June 2005

By Thomas Catan, James Boxell and Ian Bickerton

In a historic vote on Tuesday, Royal Dutch/Shell shareholders bade farewell to a century of history, approving a plan to scrap the UK and Dutch parents of the group in favour of a single, unified company.

The vote had been locked-up with the aid of large investors ahead of Tuesday’s annual general meetings in London and Scheveningen. But the vote did not proceed before a handful of elderly investors in both meetings raised their objections to the passing of what they see as their national champions. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Global village

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Financial Times: Global village

“A Shell annual meeting is a snapshot of globalisation and of the reach of a multinational company.”

By Clay Harris

Published: June 29 2005

A Shell annual meeting is a snapshot of globalisation and of the reach of a multinational company.

From Sakhalin and São Paulo, Nigeria and the Philippines, Durban in South Africa and Port Arthur in Texas, representatives of areas affected by Shell operations came to make their points.

Even if the exercise had been orchestrated by Friends of the Earth, the clarity of argument – even through translators – appeared directly proportional to the distance travelled. It made a contrast with the usual-suspect nature of some of the UK shareholder questions. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Royal birth

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Financial Times: Observer: Royal birth

“It was not only a newborn Royal Dutch Shell that those in The Hague welcomed yesterday.”:

Wednesday 29 June 2005

Published: June 29 2005

It was not only a newborn Royal Dutch Shell that those in The Hague welcomed yesterday.

Down the road from the theatre where Royal Dutch shareholders bid farewell to a century of dual-headed governance by unifying their company with Shell, its British arm, the House of Orange – the most famous Shell investor – was registering the name of its own new arrival.

With Shell’s listing going to London, Alexia, born at the weekend and third in line to the throne, joins sister Amalia and father Alex, the crown prince, in ensuring the survival of at least one triple-A establishment in the Netherlands. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

It doesn’t add up

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Financial Times: Observer: It doesn’t add up

“Even the commemorative mug given to shareholders as they left the meeting was a collector’s item of inaccuracy. Shell Transport and Trading’s lifetime was given as 1907-2005. In fact, it was born in 1897.”

Wednesday 29 June 2005

Published: June 29 2005

Shell demonstrated an admirable candour by including two of its reserves restatements in the illustrated display about the company’s meeting at the annual meeting.

Other parts of the timeline, alas, were chronologically challenged. The Wright Brothers’ first flight was attributed to 1900, three years too early. And the date of the alliance with Royal Dutch was shown as 1904, when it actually took place in 1907. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

The Guardian (UK): Rowdy meeting ends Shell’s 100-year split

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

The Guardian (UK): Rowdy meeting ends Shell’s 100-year split

Terry Macalister

Wednesday June 29, 2005

Shell shareholders voted by over 97% yesterday to end 100 years of dual company structure by merging the British and Dutch arms of the oil group into a £125bn business.

But the Shell board suffered a turbulent time at the company’s annual meeting in London before the vote was taken.

There was particular anger from small shareholders of Royal Dutch stock who accused the board of leaving them “hung out to dry” because they would have to pay capital gains tax of 40%. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

The Guardian (UK): Good and bad news in shares switch

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

The Guardian (UK): Good and bad news in shares switch

“From July 20, the new Royal Dutch Shell plc will start to trade…”

Terry Macalister

Wednesday June 29, 2005

The massive shake-up agreed by Shell yesterday will bring significant changes for individual shareholders, not least the possibility of a further rise in the value of their stakes.

Yesterday Shell Transport & Trading stock – the outgoing UK arm – rose 3% to 545p, which is its highest level since October 2001.

City analysts believe there are good reasons to suppose the shares will rise further as fund managers find themselves underweight in what will be a major new presence. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Watchdog fines Citigroup £14m

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

The Guardian (UK): Watchdog fines Citigroup £14m

“This is the second largest financial punishment handed out by the City regulator after oil company Shell was fined £17m last year.”:

Jill Treanor

Wednesday June 29, 2005

Citigroup has been ordered to pay almost £14m to the Financial Services Authority as the penalty for a controversial trade in the government bond markets last year.

The world’s largest financial firm is being forced to hand over £9.9m of profits from the trade and pay a £4m fine because of failures to control its bond business. This is the second largest financial punishment handed out by the City regulator after oil company Shell was fined £17m last year. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Lloyds List: Unified Shell group gives greater growth potential

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Lloyds List: Unified Shell group gives greater growth potential

“Royal Dutch Shell is set to be reborn on July 20″

Wednesday 29 June 2005

Shareholders of Shell and Royal Dutch Petroleum approve joint structure, writes Martyn Wingrove

SHAREHOLDERS of Shell and Royal Dutch Petroleum approved plans to unify the corporate structure of the group, ending almost a century of duel ownership and creating a GBP120bn ($220bn) company.

Royal Dutch Shell is set to be reborn on July 20, when shares in the combined group will be issued on the London stock exchange, giving Shell a stronger position for organic growth and acquisitions. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

At a stroke, Shell opens new chapter

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Financial Times: At a stroke, Shell opens new chapter

“The oblique stroke will not disappear from Royal Dutch/Shell until next month, when the High Court is due to approve the scheme of arrangement that unifies the two groups.”

Wednesday 29 June 2005

By Clay Harris

Published: June 29 2005

Shareholders in Shell Transport and Trading and their counterparts at Royal Dutch yesterday voted to remove the slash their fathers wore. The oblique stroke will not disappear from Royal Dutch/Shell until next month, when the High Court is due to approve the scheme of arrangement that unifies the two groups. But the annual meeting at the ExCel centre in London’s Docklands marked the end of a very long era.

For one thing, unless the new company’s board decides otherwise, it will be the last annual meeting in the UK. Although a UK plc, Royal Dutch Shell will hold its annual meetings in the Netherlands, with a video link back to Britain. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell to consider acquisitions under $9bn

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Financial Times: Shell to consider acquisitions under $9bn

Wednesday 29 June 2005

By James Boxell and Thomas Catan in London and Ian Bickerton in Scheveningen

Royal Dutch/Shell is understood to be considering acquisitions worth up to $9bn (£4.9bn) in the immediate aftermath of the historic unification of its Dutch and British holding companies.

Shareholders brought an end to nearly 100 years of corporate history on Tuesday when they voted overwhelmingly to merge the two arms of the Anglo-Dutch energy group.

The overhaul was primarily in response to last year’s reserves scandal, which forced the company to cut its proved oil and gas reserves by one-third and led to the removal of its three most senior executives, $150m of fines and several class-action lawsuits. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Renewed takeover talk fuels big rises at Shell and BG

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

THE TIMES (UK): Renewed takeover talk fuels big rises at Shell and BG

“…the recent surge in Shell also rekindled talk that the company may use the strength of its paper to mount a takeover of BG, its oft-mooted target.”:

Wednesday June 29, 2005

TAKEOVER favourite BG Group surged to a record high on the conviction that the oil and gas industry is on the verge of another wave of large-scale merger and acquisition activity.

In volume terms, it was Shell that dominated yesterday’s activity, with the Anglo-Dutch major gaining 17p to 545p on turnover in 110 million shares as shareholders approved the unification of its share structure, triggering further buying by fund managers to take account of an increase in its weighting within the FTSE 100 from 4 per cent to 10 per cent on July 20. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell ends era of dual ownership

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

THE TIMES (UK): Shell ends era of dual ownership

Wednesday June 29, 2005

By Peter Klinger

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL shareholders voted overwhelmingly yesterday in favour of plans to scrap the oil and gas giant’s dual-ownership structure, closing a century-old chapter in British corporate history.

The restructuring, supported by massive majorities at shareholder meetings in London and The Hague, will result in the formation of a unified Royal Dutch Shell, based in the Netherlands but with a main listing on the London Stock Exchange. The votes bring an end to London-based Shell Transport and Trading as a standalone company, established in the late 19th century. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell will grow from familiar roots

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

THE TIMES (UK): Shell will grow from familiar roots

“After the merger, Shell’s seat of power moves to The Hague. This should not be surprising, given that the mistakes of the past decade were mainly the fault of deluded or inadequate British executives…”

Wednesday 29 June 2005

By Carl Mortished

LIKE KIDS on a see-saw, stock market investors are playing with Shell, rebalancing it in the FTSE 100 index, but precious few are paying attention to the cultural shift within the firm.

Shell is restoring engineering as its prime purpose, a change in the company’s equilibrium that will have more impact than a few billion shares bought or sold. There is now a capital flight towards Shell; the merger of its Dutch and British parents into a UK plc, agreed yesterday and to be completed late next month, has the happy consequence of enlarging Shell’s weighting from 3.5 per cent to almost 9 per cent of the FTSE. British funds that benchmark their performance on the index of leading shares must buy more Shell to keep their portfolios in balance. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell mugs up on its history and pours oil on troubled waters: Shell merger approved amid fury over tax bill

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Daily Telegraph (UK): Shell mugs up on its history and pours oil on troubled waters: Shell merger approved amid fury over tax bill

“No wonder private shareholders are cross. They have been treated shabbily, particularly since they are long-term investors who stood by the company during its crisis when it lost one in four of its barrels last year.”

Wednesday 29 June 2005

City comment

Edited by Kate Rankine, Deputy City Editor (Filed: 29/06/2005)

Sometimes Shell just can’t seem to help itself. Investors trooping out of yesterday’s historic meetings were handed gold-rimmed mugs commemorating “The ‘Shell’ Transport and Trading Company plc, 1907-2004”. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Daily Telegraph: Shell merger approved amid fury over tax bill

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Daily Telegraph: Shell merger approved amid fury over tax bill

Wednesday 29 June 2005

By Christopher Hope, Business Correspondent (Filed: 29/06/2005)

Shell yesterday came under fire from British shareholders who are nursing a £77m tax bill as a result of the merger of its British and Dutch companies into a £100billion oil and gas giant.

The news came as shareholders in Shell Transport and Trading and Royal Dutch Petroleum voted to merge, creating one company called Royal Dutch Shell. Lord Oxburgh of Liverpool, Shell Transport’s chairman, said: “This is not a day I ever thought I would see.” read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Daily Telegraph: Shell’s unification puts funds firmly in the ‘buy’ camp

Jun 29th, 2005
by John Donovan.
No comments yet

Daily Telegraph (UK): Shell’s unification puts funds firmly in the ‘buy’ camp

Wednesday 29 June 2005

Market report

By Caroline Muspratt (Filed: 29/06/2005)

The decision by Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell to unify its dual structure sent waves through the stock market as traders said funds would have to buy into the stock to adjust the weighting of their portfolio.

Dealers also said the simplified structure would allow Shell to offer paper rather than cash for potential acquisitions. They singled out BG Group and Spain’s Repsol as possible targets. Shell gained 17 to 545p, helping the FTSE 100 rise 46.9 to 5090.4. BG rose 18¼ to 472p, while high oil prices also helped Shell’s rival BP gain 11 to 595p. In the FTSE 250, Soco International rose 34½ to 605p as the oil and gas group reported the successful testing of a well in Yemen. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
← Earlier Posts
Comment Rules

  • Please show respect to the opinions of others no matter how seemingly far-fetched.
  • Abusive, foul language, and/or divisive comments may be deleted without notice.
  • Each blog member is allowed limited comments, as displayed above the comment box.
  • Comments must be limited to the number of words displayed above the comment box.
  • Please limit one comment after any comment posted per post.