By Vanessa Houlder
Published: November 17 2006 02:00 | Last updated: November 17 2006 02:00
The attempt to forge a better relationship between business and the Revenue rests in the hands of Sir David Varney, who has just stepped down as the organisation’s chairman, writes Vanessa Houlder.
Sir David, who was previously chairman of mmO2 and chief executive of the BG Group, is now a senior adviser to the chancellor. Viewed as influential and prepared to listen to business’s concerns, he is no stranger to effecting change. After proving himself as the head of Shell’s downstream operations in the UK and helping the company cope with a backlash from environmentalists over its attempt to dismantle the Brent Spar oil storage facility he went on to play a big role in the British Gas break-up.
But there is some scepticism about whether he is the man to rebuild the relationship with business, given that his stewardship of Revenue & Customs coincided with a marked erosion in trust between tax officials and companies.
Other members of the review committee include directors from AstraZeneca, Unilever, Tomkins, Cable & Wireless, Cadbury Schweppes and HSBC Holdings and senior officials from the Treasury and Revenue. The review team also consulted about 140 businesses and trade bodies as it went about its work.
But Sir David’s decision to leave the Revenue this summer has left a vacancy at the top of the organisation. Until it is filled, there is uncertainty about how the review’s findings will be implemented.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2006
Our own article in which Mr David Varney is mentioned:
ShellNews.net: Shell finishing school for corporate crooks: 2 August 2006
http://shellnews.net/brent/shellnewsnet-shell-finishing-school-2-august-2006.htm
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
