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Jeroen van der Veer

Royal Dutch Shell leadership: Bring back Sir Henri Deterding

Screen Shot 2014-02-01 at 10.22.50If only it was possible to resurrect Sir Henri Deterding at his best, the extraordinary Dutchman who built the Royal Dutch Shell Group. In his first couple of decades at Shell he was a brilliant decisive leader brimming with ambition, ideas and incredible determination. He would have acted to exploit BP’s self-inflicted misfortunes, whereas Van der Veer and Voser let the opportunity pass and instead took Shell down a disastrous path placing all bets on so-called elephant projects that turned out to be white elephants.

By John Donovan

In my view, the last Shell executive director/Chairman who had any gumption and plain commonsense was Sir John Jennings.

Since his time, long term Shell shareholders have witnessed a parade of hopelessly incompetent Royal Dutch Shell fat cat bosses.

The roll call of failed leaders includes Sir Philip Watts, Jeroen van der Veer and Peter Voser.

All three mired by disappointment and scandal.

Jorma Ollila has been non-executive Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell Plc for several years spanning the tenures of the last two failed CEO’s and has proven equally uninspiring and flawed. 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.

Energy giants battle to pump profits

Screen Shot 2013-11-13 at 07.38.22At 55, Van Beurden, who replaced Peter Voser earlier this month, is a 30-year veteran at Shell where his career has mainly been focused on managing downstream businesses such as refining and chemicals. This week, as he announces full-year earnings, City analysts expect him to unveil details of a potential $15bn to $30bn (£9.1bn to £18.1bn) garage sale… Shell has a reputation for gluttony when it comes to tackling giant energy projects, betting billions of dollars on strategic investments aimed at building reserves and capturing future demand decades in advance. Those days may be over.

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By 8:00PM GMT 25 Jan 2014

On the face of it, Royal Dutch Shell’s new chief executive, Ben van Beurden, and Bob Dudley, his counterpart at , are a world apart.

At 55, Van Beurden, who replaced Peter Voser earlier this month, is a 30-year veteran at Shell where his career has mainly been focused on managing downstream businesses such as refining and chemicals.

This week, as he announces full-year earnings, City analysts expect him to unveil details of a potential $15bn to $30bn (£9.1bn to £18.1bn) garage sale, signalling a new era of capital discipline and streamlining at the Anglo-Dutch supermajor. 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.

CFO Simon Henry: Just how many lives has this Shell fat cat got?

Simon Henry was CFO when the ship was set on its disastrous course of over-promise and under-delivery, beset by project delays and cost overruns, resulting in the recent profits warning and the dramatic advice just issued by Zacks Investment Research that Royal Dutch Shell Plc is “a risky bet that ordinary investors should exit.” He has had a hand on the helm throughout the long voyage, during the Sakhalin2 debacle, the Corrib Gas Corruption scandal and more recently, Shell’s Arctic ambitions hitting the rocks. As I have previously pointed out, he also had a starring role in the reserves scandal and managed to evade the flak on that occasion as well. Just how many lives has this Shell fat cat got?

By John Donovan

The role of RDS Chief Financial Officer, Simon Henry, in the instability that has overtaken Shell, thus far seems to have largely escaped scrutiny and blame?

He is the most senior remaining Royal Dutch Shell executive spanning the tenure of the last three top executives at Shell, Sir Philip Watts (dishonest bullying egomaniac), Jeroen van der Veer (dishonest and out of his depth) and Peter Voser (incompetent and ill-advised).

Simon Henry was CFO when the ship was set on its disastrous course of over-promise and under-delivery, bedeviled by project delays and cost overruns, resulting in the recent profits warning and the dramatic advice just issued by Zacks Investment Research that Royal Dutch Shell Plc is “a risky bet that ordinary investors should exit.” 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 sells £700m of natural gas assets to Kuwait

Screen Shot 2013-10-01 at 07.56.54Chief executive says disposal of stakes in two Australian businesses, which follows shock profit warning last week, is evidence of ‘hard choices’ being taken

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By 9:24AM GMT 20 Jan 2014

Royal Dutch Shell has sold its stakes in two Australian natural gas businesses to Kuwait’s state energy giant.

The company announced on Monday the $1.135bn (£691m) disposal of its 8pc interest in the Wheatstone-Iago joint venture and 6.4pc in the Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia to the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), a subsidiary of the Gulf state’s national oil company.

Ben van Beurden, who recently took over from Peter Voser as chief executive, said Shell was “refocusing our investment to where we can add the most value with Shell’s capital and technology”. 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 destabilisation of Royal Dutch Shell gathers pace

Screen Shot 2014-01-20 at 15.21.18While speculation still swirls about the unexpected early exit by Peter Voser and the abrupt departure by Peter Rees, we can now add the name of Andy Brown to the mystery about the seismic developments and uncertainty that has engulfed Royal Dutch Shell Plc. 

By John Donovan 

Three weeks ago I published an article under the headline Voser wisely abandons an unstable ship.

I listed some of the factors that led me to make that assessment.

Since then the destabilisation of Royal Dutch Shell has gathered pace with the profits warning that shocked the markets on Friday. 

Today, Shell made an announcement about Andy Brown, the third exit (in his case extended medical leave after heart surgery) from the committee of executive directors in as many weeks.

While speculation still swirls about the unexpected early exit by Peter Voser and the abrupt departure by Peter Rees, we can now add the name of Andy Brown to the mystery about the seismic developments and uncertainty that has engulfed Royal Dutch Shell Plc.  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.

Wake up, Shell, the days of big spending are over

Screen Shot 2014-01-03 at 14.32.05“On Friday the chickens came home to roost, with Ben van Beurden, who took over from Peter Voser last year, having to announce a painful profits warning just 11 days before the year-end results.” The article says that Shell shareholders are fractious, and if Ben van Beurden ignores their concerns, Royal Dutch Shell Plc will be a prime target for activist investors. I have news for The Sunday Times. That is already the case. No wonder Mr Voser was content to fly off early.As for BvB, it must be the shortest honeymoon in corporate history for the CEO of a multinational. The phrase “poisoned chalice’ comes to mind.

By John Donovan

Dominic O’Connell, the Business Editor of The Sunday Times has today sent a strong message to Royal Dutch Shell in his Agenda column under the headline: “Wake up, Shell, the days of big spending are over.”

The article says that although major shareholders have had a soft spot for Shell, even through the reserves scandal, “that love affair is on the wane.”

He says Shell seems to have missed the change in policy by other oil and gas producers in response to shareholder demands, who have stopped squandering cash on expensive new projects and instead are returning it to the owners. 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.

In defence of Ben van Beurden

Screen Shot 2013-10-01 at 07.56.54An article published today by The Wall Street Journal – “Shell, Bruised by Big Bets, Warns of Profit Miss” – makes the case from the standpoint of Ben van Beurden, why he should not be blamed for the profits warning announced yesterday by Royal Dutch Shell Plc that shocked the markets.

By John Donovan

Screen Shot 2014-01-19 at 08.18.10Shell crushed by out of control elephants?

An article published today by The Wall Street Journal – Shell, Bruised by Big Bets, Warns of Profit Miss – makes the case  from the standpoint of Ben van Beurden, why he should not be blamed for the profits warning announced yesterday by Royal Dutch Shell Plc that shocked the markets.

Apparently he warned that Shell should be cautious in relation to multibillion dollar elephant projects, which were pushed by Jeroen van der Veer, the first Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell Plc. BvB claims that he had no say over investments in EP projects and “questioned if it made sense for Shell to bet so heavily on ‘big-ticket’ projects”.
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 Dutch Shell Profits Slump Debacle

Screen Shot 2013-10-01 at 07.56.54Based on our insider information, we, and only we, raised the question of whether Royal Dutch Shell CEO Peter Voser jumped ship or was pushed. I think we now have the answer that explains his unexpected early retirement under the cloak of a change of lifestyle. How do you know that Shell is run by clowns? The continued existence of this website over the last decade proves that this is the case. One miscalculation after the other. Just over 2 months ago, we raised the profits warning issue:Why no profits warning from Shell?

By John Donovan

Just over 2 months ago, we raised the profits warning issue: “Why no profits warning from Shell?

I would now like to put a simple question to our visitors.

What news source has provided the most accurate assessment about Royal Dutch Shell Plc and the senior management?

Not the BBC, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Motley Fool or any other source. Certainly not shell.com.

The most accurate assessment and information has consistently emanated from this website. 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.

10th ANNIVERSARY OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL RESERVES SCANDAL

Since Royal Dutch Shell has apparently forgotten to mark the tenth anniversary of news breaking on 10 January 2004, that Shell had cooked its books by wildly inflating its claimed oil and gas reserves, it seems appropriate for me to do so on Shell’s behalf. The then Shell Group chairman, Sir Philip Watts was forced to resign, but to buy his silence was handsomely  rewarded for screwing Shell shareholders, receiving a financial package reportedly worth $18.5 million. He later repented his sins and became a priest. His chief of Exploration & Production, Walter van de Vijver was knifed in the back by his director colleagues, including John Hofmiester and Jeroen van der Veer, in what can fairly be described as a sadistic sacking. Plenty of scope and evidence if Martin Scorsese is planning a follow-up movie to The Wolf of Wall Street featuring another huge scam involving outlandish but real events and overpaid, ethically challenged individuals, driven by ego and unbridled greed.

By John Donovan

Screen Shot 2014-01-15 at 08.41.45Since Royal Dutch Shell has apparently forgotten to mark the tenth anniversary of news breaking on 10 January 2004, that Shell had cooked its books by wildly inflating its claimed oil and gas reserves, it seems appropriate for me to do so on Shell’s behalf.

The then Shell Group chairman, Sir Philip Watts was forced to resign, but to buy his silence was handsomely  rewarded for screwing Shell shareholders, receiving a financial package reportedly worth $18.5 million. He later repented his sins and became a priest. His chief of Exploration & Production, Walter van de Vijver was knifed in the back by his director colleagues, including John Hofmiester and Jeroen van der Veer, in what can fairly be described as a sadistic sacking.
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 CEO Peter Voser: Did he jump or was he pushed?

Screen Shot 2014-01-02 at 11.51.16Why would the issue of payment for loss of office even arise? Perhaps I am wrong but I am left with the impression that his early departure was by mutual consent and on the basis of no compensation for loss of office? In other words the board wanted him to leave early and he agreed?

By John Donovan

I was intrigued by the inclusion of the following statement by Shell in the Remuneration Disclosure for Peter Voser published earlier today:

Payment for loss of office
No payment for loss of office is made or will be made to Peter Voser.”

Consequently I sent the following email to a source with Shell insider knowledge:

Wording seems odd to me?

Why would the issue of payment for loss of office even arise?

Perhaps I am wrong but I am left with the impression that his early departure was by mutual consent and on the basis of no compensation for loss of office? 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.

Financial Times Assessment of Peter Voser

Screen Shot 2013-06-30 at 08.30.42…doubts about the performance of Shell have become more evident recently after Shell announced a 20% drop in second-quarter profits, plus losses and write downs in North America and disillusion with Shell’s big spending plans. Voser admits that Shell’s Upstream Americas business was in the red and that exploration results in US shales are disappointing. Shell’s huge bet on US shale is his biggest regret.  Voser further admits that Shell is yet to complete a single well in its Alaska drilling fiasco (despite already spending $5 billion on the ill-fated Arctic project). “That was a big disappointment to me personally,” he said.

By John Donovan: Sunday October 6, 2013

The Financial Times has published two articles today about Peter Voser, the departing Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

The first article claims that his vision has left Shell in “rude health” following Vosers supposed transformation of the oil giant following the hydrocarbon reserves fraud. The scandal was disclosed to shocked shareholders and the news media in January 2004. Jeroen van der Veer, who actually led the company during the years immediately after the scandal, might feel entitled to some credit. 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 integrity of Shell EP Ireland CEO Michael Crothers

Screen Shot 2013-05-03 at 14.17.32At that point, when you send a letter in your name knowing that it is designed to deceive, you have lost your integrity and join previous Shell senior executives, such as Jeroen van der Veer, who also gave in to the dark side of Shell. Bill Campbell, the retired HSE Group Auditor of Shell International has confirmed that the same internal investigation smokescreen was used in respect of the Brent Bravo deaths scandal.

From: John Donovan <[email protected]>
Subject: OSSL DEBACLE
Date: 10 June 2013 09:32:04 GMT+01:00
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected], [email protected], “[email protected] COMPANY” <[email protected]>

Dear Mr Crothers

I am writing to you in connection with your response letter dated 28 May 2013 to Deputy Clare Daly TD, a member of the Dail, the Irish Parliament.

As you will recall, the subject of the correspondence was OSSL, the company formally employed as a “Mr Fixit” by Shell E&P Ireland Limited. 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.

In the new Shell to lie is acceptable unless your found out

Screen Shot 2013-06-08 at 17.31.03

Screen Shot 2013-05-21 at 23.30.59The crisis in my book, and we are far from the endpoint in this, is that RDS officials lied in that the decision to move Kulluk was not related to tax avoidance when it was.  Perhaps that is why the RDS CEO has taken a closer interest in his family and the sustainability of his future.

ARTICLE BY BILL CAMPBELL, RETIRED HSE GROUP AUDITOR, SHELL INTERNATIONAL

In the new Shell, that which developed in the days of post transformation, group dancing in that nice hotel near the Het Loo Palace, with the dear leader Watts arriving from space etc around the same time, who can forget those heady days.  Is that when to lie and deceive became the norm in the head sheds of The Hague. Is that when the growth of VP’s started, not the Joe Biden variety, the Shell model, we currently appear to have more VP’s than indian meals sold in Bradford on a Friday night. 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.

BG Group CEO Chris Finlayson, past indiscretions at Shell

In summary, Finlayson (right) sees himself as a victim to the goings-on in 1999, just one of many victims in the then Shell Expro, described in our Audit notes as a hostile environment of extreme denial.  I can concur that Chris was a victim, when for example he made light of the Touch F-All scandal in various press statements of which there is an audio record he did so because his Brent Field Manager Jorn Berget misled him.  He soon realised this but despite many attempts by me and his Internal Audit Manager he would not retract the statement.  In fear, no doubt for his job, his future promotion prospects etc, and led by the ear by his mentor and boss Malcolm Brinded he toed the line. 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 under the skin, 10 years after crisis

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LONDON | Wed May 29, 2013 7:31pm EDT

(Reuters) – A decade ago, Royal Dutch/Shell’s (RDSa.L) boss was fighting to close the gap between the truth about his company’s oil and gas reserves and the much larger figure in its accounts.

He lost the fight, and his job. Scandal engulfed one of the world’s biggest companies, exposing years of neglect.

Fast forward to May 2013, and the surprise news that chief executive Peter Voser will retire next year caused barely a ripple. Shell has recovered shareholder confidence. But while the risks may all be in the open now, they remain big. 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.

Jeroen van der Veer: Hypocrite Supreme

Screen Shot 2013-05-18 at 23.12.50Mr Van der Veer (shown right) is no fan of this website. In January 2008, as was reported in The Times, we published a leaked email from him in which he forecast that world demand for oil and gas would outstrip supply within 7 years. Events has shown that he was talking nonsense on that occasion as well.

By John Donovan

The fuelfix headline encapsulated the theme of the speech given last Thursday by former Royal Dutch Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer at the KPMG Global Energy Conference in Houston:

Former Shell CEO: Safety must come first. And second. And third.

This qualifies as sheer hypocrisy on his part.

On his watch, Shell had an absolutely atrocious safety track record for which he was publicly criticised.

(Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer “hurt” by criticism: 3 Sept 2007)

On his watch, even lifeboats serving Shell North Sea platforms were found to be unseaworthy. 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.
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