Shell names Wael Sawan as new chief executive

Shell has appointed Wael Sawan, a 25-year company veteran , as successor to Ben van Beurden, the company’s long standing chief executive.

Sawan will replace Ben van Beurden, Shell’s boss for almost a decade, who will be stepping down at the end of this year. Reports of Van Beurden’s planned departure emerged earlier this month, and Sawan was considered the frontrunner to take the top job.

As Shell’s current head of integrated gas and renewables division, Sawan oversees its push into low-carbon energies as well as its giant gas business.

The 64-year-old Van Beurden, who has worked at Shell for almost four decades, will continue to work in an advisory role to the board until the end of June.