Shell’s Profits Trump Planet: Power Trader Leaves as Company Embraces Fossil Fuels

In the end, Shell’s true colours have been laid bare for all to see. Its grandiose claims of environmental responsibility were nothing more than smoke and mirrors, quickly shattered by its insatiable hunger for oil and gas. The planet may suffer, but Shell’s profits must thrive.

By John Donovan: 23 June 2023

Shell Plc’s recent “environmentally conscious” facade has finally crumbled, revealing its true colours as an oil-hungry, profit-driven monstrosity.

In a shocking turn of events, one of the company’s power traders, Steffen Krutzinna, has had enough of Shell’s disingenuous claims and decided to abandon ship. The catalyst for his departure? Shell’s audacious plan to invest more heavily in the fossil fuel industry was announced by the company’s chief executive, Wael Sawan, in a moment of pure disregard for social and environmental responsibilities.

In a scathing LinkedIn post, Krutzinna lambasted Shell’s shift in corporate values, aptly describing it as a “pivotal shift” toward short-term profits at the planet’s expense. With a heavy heart, he declared, “I don’t want to be part of that, so I’m out.”

Desperate to appease investors and bolster its shaky reputation, Sawan decided to throw caution to the wind. He sweetened the deal by boosting Shell’s dividend and painted a rosy picture of higher returns on the horizon. Naturally, the linchpin of this grand plan is none other than the very industry responsible for Shell’s record profits last year: oil and gas.

But fear not, dear readers, for Shell was quick to remind us that it still clings to its long-term climate pledges. In a feeble attempt at damage control, a spokesperson emphasized, “Shell reiterated its commitment to becoming a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 – that has not changed at all.” Of course, they conveniently neglected to outline any concrete plans to achieve this net-zero goal. After all, why bother with such trivial details when there are profits to be made?

Krutzinna’s departure exposes the harsh reality that Shell may encounter significant difficulty in attracting and retaining talent for its supposed low-carbon ventures. As the company shamelessly pivots back to its beloved fossil fuels, the allure of joining a polluting, ruthless oil giant diminishes significantly.

In his poignant LinkedIn post, Krutzinna justified his heartbreaking decision to quit by pointing to Shell’s colossal investment in planet-warming oil and gas, coupled with a conveniently “softened” net-zero target.

Hendrik Samisch, CEO of Next Kraftwerke, Shell’s renewable power trading subsidiary, expressed his regret at Krutzinna’s departure. “We are very sad that Steffen decided to leave the company,” he lamented. “He is an excellent trader and quantitative analyst. We wish him all the best for his future.” One can only hope that Krutzinna finds solace in a world less tainted by the destructive pursuit of profits at any cost.

In the end, Shell’s true colours have been laid bare for all to see. Its grandiose claims of environmental responsibility were nothing more than smoke and mirrors, quickly shattered by its insatiable hunger for oil and gas. The planet may suffer, but Shell’s profits must thrive.

Shell has a track record of putting profits first, before any other consideration. In other words, money before ethics. This is after all the company that financially supported Hitler and the Nazis. Google “Shell Nazi History”.

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