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May 26th, 2009:

The most informative online source of Royal Dutch Shell news

By John Donovan

This was all the information published by Shell on its official website yesterday concerning the departure of Linda Cook.

26/05/2009   Royal Dutch Shell plc announces directorate change

The Board of Royal Dutch Shell plc announced today that Mrs Linda Cook will resign as Executive Director of the Company on 1st June 2009. She has served the Company for 29 years of which the last 5 years as Executive Director of Gas & Power, Shell Trading, Global Solutions and Technology.

Compare that with the wealth of information and comment published here the same day in the form of articles and Shell Blog postings. We are especially grateful for all the Shell insider contributions which make this site far and away the best online source of honest information and debate about Royal Dutch Shell i.e. free of Shell spin and influence.  read more

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Linda Cook, Shell’s top woman executive, resigns

Linda Cook, the head of Shell’s gas business, resigned abruptly yesterday, the first boardroom casualty at the hands of Peter Voser, the new chief executive of the oil company.

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.

Shell shock as long-timer Cook is first to go in Voser cull

Daily Mail

By SAM FLEMING
Last updated at 11:53 PM on 26th May 2009

Going: Linda Cook will leave Shell after nearly 30 years working for the firm  

Going: Linda Cook will leave Shell after nearly 30 years working for the firm

A management shakeup is looming at oil giant Royal Dutch Shell as anointed chief executive Peter Voser prepares to take the helm. 

Shell yesterday announced the sudden departure of gas & power chief Linda Cook, who has been at the company for almost three decades. Cook will step down from the board next week and then leave her post at end of June. 

The surprise decision is thought to be a prelude to wide-ranging changes at the top, as Swiss-born Voser succeeds Jeroen van der Veer as chief executive. read more

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.

U.S. Cracks Down on Corporate Bribes

Among the companies currently under Justice Department review: Sun Microsystems Inc. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC...

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.

Shell’s N.Y. trial over Nigerian deaths delayed

NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) - A civil trial over the alleged involvement of giant oil producer Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) in the executions of protesters in Nigeria in the 1990s has been delayed until next week, a court clerk said on Tuesday.

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.

Shell faces legal fight over alleged human rights abuse and pollution

Jeroen van der Veer's tenure as chief executive ends amid outcry over bonuses, environmental record and human rights abuses

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.

Shell showing three into two will go

It is expected that exploration and production and gas and power will be combined into a single division. The merged business is then expected to be split in two, with an American division run by Marvin Odum, now head of Shell Oil, the US subsidiary, and the rest of the world run by Malcolm Brinded, now head of exploration and production.

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.

Shell: the owner of the gas division goes, rumor of reorganization

Linda Cook, boss of the division gas and energy “of Shell, on 2 July 2008 in Madrid

LONDON (AFP) – Shell announced Tuesday that Linda Cook, patroness of the division gas and energy giant Anglo-Dutch oil and candidate in the general direction, leave office on 1 June, a start could be the prelude a major reorganization.

This will precede the start of the new CEO of Shell, the current finance director Peter Voser, scheduled for July 1st. The latter was preferred to Linda Cook and other candidates, including Malcolm Brindred, leader of the division “exploration and production”, to succeed Jeroen van der Veer.  read more

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.

Shell clears way for senior shake-up

Financial Times

By Ed Crooks and John O’Doherty

Published: May 26 2009 09:54 | Last updated: May 26 2009 18:53

Royal Dutch Shell cleared the way for a management shake-up under its new chief executive on Tuesday as expectations mounted that Europe’s biggest oil company will soon unveil a wide-ranging restructuring.

Shell announced the sudden departure of Linda Cook, head of the gas and power division, by “mutual agreement”.

Linda Cook

Linda Cook is stepping down from the board of Royal Dutch Shell

The news came as Shell’s top 200 managers gathered in Berlin for a two-day meeting, at which the company is expected to announce restructuring plans. read more

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.

Shell shake-up widely rumoured; E&P and G&P tipped to merge

Financial Times

ft.com/energysource

May 26, 2009 5:06pm

Today we’ve heard a couple of rumours that the departure of Shell’s gas and power chief, Linda Cook, came ahead of some major changes to the company’s structure.

One of those sources, both of them at Shell, said that the exploration and production unit was likely to merge with the gas and power unit.

Dow Jones also has word from “a person familiar with Shell’s thinking” that:

…Voser put this restructuring plan to the Shell board, with the aim of making significant costs cuts, some months ago when he was competing to replace current Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer, who retires at the end of June. read more

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.

Cook’s sudden departure just the start of dramatic changes at Shell

By John Donovan

The following information has been assembled from multiple Shell insider sources.

Funeral in Berlin: Tomorrow a two day meeting commences in Berlin involving the Shell top 100.  

A formal farewell to the departing Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer will take place during the first day of the meeting. 

The second day has been set aside for his replacement, Peter Voser, to announce his plans said to include:

1. A major cull of senior managers/executives. More than 30% will go, rewarded with golden handshakes.  read more

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.

Former Shell Exec Paddy Briggs comments on Linda Cook departure

By Paddy Briggs

Cook’s departure is ego-driven. She lost out – so she walks away in a huff. But then that’s what you do when the only thing that matters is self-aggrandisement. What charecterises Shell head honchos in recent times is that it is all about self. Power, position, perks and obscenely inflated bonuses and rewards – and to hell with the business or the tradition or the history of this once great company and once respected brand. And to hell with the stakeholders as well. Suppliers, Partners, local communities, employees, pensioners and society at large are the disposable small fry in the selfish and self-centered world of Van Der Veer, Cook, Brinded and the rest. read more

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.

Shell gas chief exits after losing race for top job

Linda Cook, head of gas and power of Shell, the oil giant, will leave the company after missing out in the race to become chief executive and will forfeit a "loyalty" bonus of £800,000.

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.

Shell’s top gas executive, Linda Cook, resigns ahead of CEO change

Los Angeles Times

TOBY STERLING, AP Business Writer  3:13 AM PDT, May 26, 2009 AMSTERDAM (AP) — Shell’s top gas executive and highest-ranking woman, Linda Cook, is stepping down June 1, the company said Tuesday, without giving a reason. 

Cook, 50, had sometimes been mentioned as a possible successor to Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer, who is retiring July 1. Instead the top job went to Peter Voser, the company’s chief financial officer.

“It’s a mutual decision,” said Shell spokesman Shaun Wiggins of Cook’s departure. He said the company or Cook might elaborate further later but at the moment had nothing to add. 

Cook was a Shell employee for 29 years, joining the company in Houston when she was 21. She has a degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Kansas.

In a statement, Van der Veer thanked Cook and noted the company’s liquid natural gas capacity has risen by 60 percent since she took her job five years ago. As oil production declined in the same period, Shell’s total production is now almost equally split between gas and oil. read more

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.

Job should go – but so should the rest of Shell’s motley crew

A year ago I called for the departure of Sir Peter Job as a non-executive director of Shell.

It has taken a full year for the media at large to realise just how unfit this man is to oversee the remuneration of Shell’s top executives. But whilst the buck undoubtedly stops on Job’s well-padded shoulders the remainder of the non-executive directors cannot escape responsibility for the debacle that is shareholders rejection of the remuneration proposals for Shell’s high-priced (very high priced!) help. Let’s name and shame them. Jorma Ollila sits at the top as non-executive Chairman. Why didn’t he call for an end to the excesses of the past and instruct Job to take public opinion in these difficult times into account? read more

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.

Shell: Gas, Pwr, Renewables Chief Linda Cook To Resign June 1

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Royal Dutch Shell PLC's (RDSB.LN) chief of gas, power and renewable energy Linda Cook has resigned unexpectedly, and will step down as an executive director of the company effective June 1, the company said in a statement Tuesday.

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.

Shell gas boss steps down after losing CEO race

LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) said Linda Cook was stepping down as head of the oil group's gas and power division, after she lost out in the race to become Shell's new chief executive.

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.

Breaking News… Linda Cook, Executive Director of Royal Dutch Shell Gas & Power Resigns…

Linda Cook, Executive Director of Royal Dutch Shell Gas & Power

According to a reliable Shell insider source Linda Cook, Executive Director of Royal Dutch Shell Gas & Power, is leaving Shell in just a few days time, on June 1, 2009, for sudden undisclosed reasons. 

The following posting was made on our Shell Blog at 8am UK time…

Linda Cook is stepping down. Peace at last, peace at last. Now there is room for talented women instead of token women. Will she return her stay-on bonus? Very curious what bullshit story she will now come up with! read more

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.

Shell on trial

The Independent

(Oil giant in the dock over 1995 murder of activist who opposed environmental degradation of Niger Delta)

Royal Dutch Shell will revisit one of the darkest periods of its history tomorrow as a potentially groundbreaking court case opens in New York.

The oil giant stands accused of complicity in the 1995 execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian environmental activist.

The world’s boardrooms are watching the case, which is seen as a test of whether transnational companies owned or operating in the US can be held responsible for human rights abuses committed abroad. read more

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.

Ken Saro-Wiwa: All the things he predicted have come to pass

The Independent

Chris Newsom: All the things he predicted have come to pass

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

The execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues in 1995 dragged Shell and Nigeria’s leadership into a controversy from which they find it difficult to extricate themselves. Fourteen years on, the actions of both are still seen through the prism of the showdown with the Ogonis. Ogoniland has remained in limbo: no oil has been pumped since 1993, there has been little development, and mediation efforts collapsed without one meeting between Shell and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People. read more

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.

Shell and a particularly obscene pay deal

Last week, 59% of Shell's shareholders voted down its directors' pay packages – a huge rise from the 15 or 20% that might come out against a particularly obscene pay deal just a couple of years ago.

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.