“After such an exciting executive career I feel it is time for a change in my lifestyle and I am looking forward to have more time available for my family and private life in the years to come.”
Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Peter Voser is to step down next year in an unexpected move, the energy giant announced as it posted a surprise 4pc rise in first-quarter profits to $8bn (£5.1bn).
Peter Voser, the Shell chief executive, plans to focus on increasing oil and gas production to drive growth and returns. Photo: AFP/Getty
By Emily Gosden 7:46AM BST 02 May 2013
Mr Voser, 54, has led the Anglo-Dutch major since July 2009 having previously served as chief financial officer in a career spanning more than three decades at the company.
In a message to staff, he said: “After almost 10 years as CEO and CFO and more than 25 years in Shell, I have elected to retire in the first half of 2014.
“After such an exciting executive career I feel it is time for a change in my lifestyle and I am looking forward to have more time available for my family and private life in the years to come.”
Mr Voser, a Swiss citizen, said he intended to be “still engaged in the business community through a limited number of non-executive roles outside Shell” as well as continuing not-for-profit roles.
The announcement came as Shell reported first-quarter profits for the first three months of 2013 that easily beat expectations.
Excluding one-off items, underlying profits rose 3pc to $7.5bn. Analysts had expected profits to slump by as much as 18pc.
Mr Voser said: “Our industry continues to see significant energy price volatility as a result of economic and political developments. Oil prices have fallen recently but Shell is implementing a long-term, competitive and innovative strategy against this volatile backdrop.”
He said the results were “underpinned by Shell’s growth projects, an improvement in downstream profitability, and were delivered despite a difficult security environment in Nigeria”.
Shell raises its dividend by 2 cents, to 45 cents per share.
Mr Voser joined Shell in 1982 and has worked for the company continuously apart from a two-year stint at chief financial officer of ABB from 2002 to 2004.
Shell’s chairman, Jorma Ollila said Mr Voser’s leadership had been “impressive, reorganising the company, delivering growth, and developing a clear forward strategy with a strong portfolio of new options for the future”.
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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.
