ROYAL DUTCH SHELL sprang another surprise on the City yesterday by naming its head of refining Ben van Beurden as its new chief executive to succeed Peter Voser next January.
Dutchman Van Beurden, 55, who has been with the Anglo-Dutch oil giant for 30 years but only appointed to the board in January as boss of its downstream operations, had not been touted as a likely contender to replace Voser, whose decision to stand down after less than five years in the top job had stunned investors.
Analysts had focused on chief financial officer Simon Henry and other divisional heads including Marvin Odum and Andy Brown as potential successors, although Shell also reviewed outside candidates.
But chairman Jorma Ollila said: “Ben has deep knowledge of the industry and proven executive experience across a range of Shell businesses. He will continue to develop the strategic agenda we have set out, to generate competitive returns for our shareholders.â€
Peter Hutton, oil analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said: “This will be something of a surprise to analysts who widely expected Simon Henry to get the top position. Voser and Henry had worked very well as a partnership, so the jury may be out whether this can be continued as effectively with a CFO passed over for the top job.â€
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.
