John Donovan, managing director of Don Marketing, an agency specialising in promotional games, says he has supplied more than a billion game pieces without any problems. He counts Shell's Make Money game (said to have raised sales by 25%) and the Great Guinness Challenge (which boosted sales by 30%) among his biggest successes.
July 24th, 2008:
UP TO SCRATCH
Dudley Flees Russia in TNK-BP Shareholder Fight
IF BP LOSES ITS RUSSIA STAKE?
Transnational Corporations in Conflict Zones: Shell and Society – Securing the Niger Delta?
In the words of one Shell worker, you pay whomever you have to pay. Thats just the way it is (p.10). The location of Shells priorities is perhaps most clearly seen when the US$60 million the company spends per year on community development is compared to the money reserved for pacifying local militias. Watts asserts that it amounts to at least double that figure and may be as high as US$200 million per annum or 10% of the operating budget.
Former Shell Exec Paddy Briggs comments on Shell’s sale of its stake in the London Array Wind Farm
By Paddy Briggs
This is important news. These two major companies would not have made this investment if they did not think that the project was viable. So Shells withdrawal has nothing to do with the inherent merits of the project but with their continued aversion to activities away form their core hydrocarbon business. As a shareholder I have no problem with this. As Tom Peters wisely said – STICK TO YOUR KNITTING !
What I object to, however, is the continued claims by Shell and other Oil Majors that they are genuinely interested in Renewables. The reality is that they have neither the time nor the skills nor the imagination to be heavily involved in Wind Energy (etc.). The number of staff, the capital investment and the revenue expenditure on Renewables is minuscule compared with the core hydrocarbon business. But the rhetoric in the corporate advertising of Shell and the rest is quite disproportionate to this reality. It really is utterly hypocritical.
Comments of former Shell Exec Paddy Briggs on Linda Cook
By Paddy Briggs
There are many who believe that many of Shells problems in recent times has come from a growing Americanisation of this historically European company. My experience with senior Americans (Jim Morgan, Steve Miller, Lynn Elsenhans and others) was that they were usually likeable but wholly unsuited to the international character of Shell. The regrettable centralisation of decision making is an American led virus. Linda Cook has no international experience to speak of and she sounds like an archetypal centralising American business apparatchik – the last thing Shell needs just now.
Conoco Nets $5.44 Billion In Global Oil Boom
The second-quarter earnings release sounded notes of caution that are likely to be repeated next week when Exxon Mobil Corp., BP PLC and other large oil companies report: a weak refining environment, rising costs and falling production of crude oil and natural gas.
Cold Comfort: Arctic Is Oil Hot Spot
Earlier this year, Royal Dutch Shell PLC spent more than $2 billion acquiring drilling leases in Alaska's Chukchi Sea.
Arctic has 90bn barrels of crude
The Arctic holds as much as 90bn barrels of undiscovered oil and has as much undiscovered gas as all the reserves known to exist in Russia, US government scientists have said in the first governmental assessment of the regions resources.
Sibir Energy, Shell rumours
By Bryce Elder and Neil Hume
Published: July 24 2008 03:00 | Last updated: July 24 2008 03:00
Sibir Energy, Aim’s largest company, slipped 2.8 per cent to 630p in tandem with the oil sector. That came in spite of rumours that Shell, its partner in the Salym oilfield in Siberia, may swap its 50 per cent stake in the joint venture for Sibir equity.
Sibir’s interest in the Salym field accounts for more than half its current net asset value, according to house broker Cazenove.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
Browne speaks of Elton, elves and etiquette – but little of Texas City
The former BP chief executive Lord Browne admitted visiting Elton John's apartment in Venice, explained that he rarely discusses business with his butler and said he was unaware that his nickname was "Elf".
Oil price falls as US gasoline demand wanes
The price of oil looks set to fall further in the coming days despite continued hurricane fears and concern over the political impasse between the United States and Iran.
Russians issue legal threat to TNK- BP’s Robert Dudley
BP has been under siege in Russia for months, with police raids on its Moscow office, problems getting visas for staff seconded to TNK-BP, and legal action from a minority investor. On Wednesday, the UK company withdrew its remaining 60 engineers.
BP Losing 23% of Production Looms as Russians Assail Investment
Nothing will happen to TNK-BP without the say-so of the Kremlin,'' says Chris Weafer, chief strategist at UralSib Financial Corp., a Moscow-based brokerage. ``The endgame is clear with Putin's government having set up the model of state control.''