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Links to several hundred articles by a host of different publishers including the FT, Wall Street Journal, Reuters etc., mainly containing references to RoyalDutchShellPlc.com or its founders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REGULARLY UPDATED: Links to over 500 articles (and radio and TV broadcasts) by a host of publishers including the FT, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, Bloomberg, New York Times, CNBC, Forbes etc. Plus UK House of Commons Select Committee Hansard records, information on U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission website, legal documents filed in the U.S. Courts, all containing references to the Donovan’s, their Shell related websites, or their former company, Don Marketing. Includes newspaper and magazine articles, newsletters, video clip links and interview transcripts. All in date order. In addition, there are references to our websites and/or our activities, published in over 100 books. In all, over 550 externally published references to date including articles originated by news agencies such as Reuters or Dow Jones, syndicated to a variety of individual publishers such as the New York Times or The Washington Post. Plus over 60,000 Shell related articles published on our own Shell focussed websites. 

If you have time please at least read the Reuters article “Shell critic says oil major targeting his website” which includes this extract:

“Another email seen by Reuters, apparently from a Shell communications representative to U.S. news network Fox News said: “royaldutchshell plc.com is an excellent source of group news and comment and I recommend it far above what our own group internal comms puts out”.

The Shell internal emails were supplied to the Donovan’s by Shell in response to a SAR application under the Data Protection Act 1998.

2005

*Shell Fights Over Domain Name Ahead of Parent Firm’s Merger: The Wall Street Journal Europe June 3 – 5, 2005. Page A4. 

*WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE US VERSION: “Shell Wages Legal Fight Over Web Domain Name”: 2 June 2005

Extracts:

Later this summer, oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell Group is expected to merge its two parent companies, creating a new corporate entity: Royal Dutch Shell PLC. But go to www.royaldutchshellplc.com and you will find a crude Web site in garish colors where Alfred Donovan, an 88-year-old British army veteran, posts dozens of media reports and commentary, most of it negative, about Shell…

The two Donovans are well-known to Shell. They have waged a long-running anti-Shell campaign dating to the 1990s revolving around disputes over the rights to Shell gasoline-station promotions. Over the years, the two sides have settled four lawsuits. But Mr. Donovan has continued his crusade.

*BLOOMBERG ARTICLE: “Shell in Legal Battle Over Name of Web Site, Journal Reports“: 2 June 2005

EXTRACT: Donovan and his son John have waged a longstanding anti-Shell campaign that started in the 1990s in a dispute over rights to Shell gasoline-station promotions, the Journal said. Shell attorneys argue Alfred Donovan originally acquired the name to “disparage” the company, the newspaper said.

(Related Shell internal emails about the WSJ & Bloomberg articles)

*The Mirror (Holland): Hoogbejaarde Brit zit Shell dwars Gepost door Gertjan (Kozzmic) – Bron: Algemeen Dagblad Gepubliceerd: zondag 5 juni 2005 @ 01:02 http://shell2004.com/week23/shellnewsdutch6june05.htm

Extract: De 88-jarige Engelsman Alfred Donovan is de strijd aangegaan met de Nederlands-Britse oliemaatschappij Shell. De militaire veteraan heeft de domeinnaam www.royaldutchshellplc.com ingepikt. Royal Dutch Shell PLC is de naam waaronder het bedrijf in de loop van dit jaar verder gaat

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE WASHINGTON POST: Shell shareholders to back unification: 24 June 2005

*Hostile Domain: The Times City Diary Tuesday, June 21, 2005

* SYNDICATED ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES: Shell shareholders to back unification: 25 June 2005

EXTRACT: Shell Shareholders to Back Unification: “Another dampener on Shell’s biggest corporate overhaul since the two holding firms tied up in 1907, is a spat over the rights to the web domain “royaldutchshellplc.com.” Disgruntled shareholder Alfred Donovan beat Shell to register the domain name. Shell has sued Donovan for the rights to the domain but while the matter plays out, Donovan uses the site to lambaste Shell management. Posted Saturday 25 June 2005: http://shell2004.com/week25/newyorktimes25june2005.htm

Extract ends.

Variations of the above New York Times/Reuters article mentioning the domain name battle were also published by The Washington Post, MSN Money, Yahoo, The Gulf Times of Qatar and The Boston Globe all in June 2005.

*John Donovan interview on Dublin Newstalk Radio 106fm – “The Breakfast Show with Eamon Dunphy”: Broadcast Thursday Morning 8.17am, 4 August 2005

*THE TIMES: AN ATTEMPT by Royal Dutch Shell to claim the website royaldutchshellplc.com has failed.Tuesday 16 August 2005

*CommTech Newsletter (e-update): Friday 9 Sept 2005

EXTRACT: A World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) panel has found against Shell in a dispute over ownership of the domain names royaldutchshellgroup.com, royaldutchshellplc.com and tellshell.org.Alfred Donovan, an 88 year old war veteran and Shell shareholder, uses the domain names to direct to his website which offers a forum for criticism of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of companies.

2006

*FORTUNE MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Executive bookmark: 2 August 2006 PDF version

Indicates that the websites for Royal Dutch Shell are shell.com and royaldutchshellplc.com

*ARGUS FSU ENERGY ARTICLE: Shell weights its options: 27 Oct 2006

*INTERFAX / JOHNSON’S RUSSIA LIST ARTICLE: Russian Ministry Says Sakhalin Energy Measures on Environment Unsatisfactory: 13 November 2006

2007

*Nasa.gov published January 1, 2007: Future Fuel Scenarios and Their Potential Impact to Aviation with link to 18-page document citing a royaldutchshellplc.com article (on page 17): Published January 1, 2007 pdf1 pdf2

*BUSINESS NEW EUROPE ARTICLE: Shell Gets Stuck in a Sakhalin blog-mire: Jan 2007

*PROSPECT MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Rise of the gripe site: February 2007

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: ‘Pipeliners All!’ Shell’s memo to Sakhalin: 5 June 2007

*WikiLeaks record from THE GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FILES Stratfor.com email-id 340835 dated 6 June 2007 relating to Royal Dutch Shell Sakhalin-2 project. ESzter – just a short insight into Shell’s work. A Patton-style memo to keep them working. WikiLeaks6June2007pdf

*MOSCOW TIMES ARTICLE: Sakhalin Pep Talk From ‘Old Blood and Guts’: 9 June 2007

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: ‘Patton’ e-mail man resigns SEIC post’: 22 June 2007

*MOSCOW TIMES ARTICLE: Sakhalin Energy’s Greer Steps Down: 22 June 2007

*ONE WORLD TRUST NEWSLETTER ARTICLE: Royaldutchshellplc.com – The Power of a website: July 2007

*DAILY MAIL ARTICLE: Shell on back foot as ‘gripe site’ alleges safety concerns: 1 Sept 2007

*REUTERS ARTICLE: Shell loses exec on troubled Kazakh project-source: 4 Sept 2007

EXTRACTS: John Donovan, who runs a Web site critical of Shell and acts as a conduit for whistleblowers at the company, said Shell insiders had told him that John Stubbs, a senior project manager on Kashagan, had left the Anglo-Dutch oil major.

A Shell employee told Donovan by email that Stubbs was one of an “elite band of great project management heroes” who had recently left Shell, leaving the company with a lack of talent to deliver on the big projects it is relying on for growth.

25*DAILY TELEGRAPH ARTICLE: Pressure on Shell over safety platforms: 8 Sept 2007

(PDF of the same article downloaded 5 April 2021)

*SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ARTICLE: Online revolutionaries: 10 Sept 2007 (PDF DOWNLOADED 5 APRIL 2021) 

*PROSPECT MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Shell’s Colchester headache: 12 Sept 2007

*TIMES CITY DIARY: Royal Dutch Shell at war with family: 22 Sept 2007

Martin Waller: City Diary

Since the 1990s, Royal Dutch Shell has been at war with a family who registered a website, royaldutchshellplc.com. The Donovan family, led by 90-year-old Burma veteran Alfred, perhaps quixotically want Shell to change its management. Shell has failed to shut down the site, which has attracted job applications and, allegedly, even a terrorist threat, all of which are dutifully passed on to the company. Space does not allow exposition of all the correspondence between the two sides, but there are signs that Shell is developing a sense of humour. A recent letter from general counsel there suggests that “a truly alternative solution for all those people inadvertently contacting you is for you to choose a website and e-mail address without the word ‘shell’ in it”.

*BBC Essex presenter Etholle George interviews John Donovan: 11 October 2007 (Transcript)

*WikiLeaks record from THE GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FILES Stratfor.com email-id 5047809. Subject Niger Delta militant violence update. Open the displayed “Attached Files” 101710: Niger Delta Attacks: Gunmen kidnapped five year old Mares Divine Ifeanyi Emeruwa, son of Speaker of Shell Petroleum Development Company Project Engineer.

*NIKKEI BP (JAPAN) ARTICLE: Gripe sites are becoming more powerful: 13 Nov 2007

Extract:

The fate of Sakhalin 2 was changed by two British men

There is a case where gripe site affected Japanese companies business. Sakhalin 2, which is an oil and gas development project in the Sakhalin Island by Royal Dutch Shell, Japan’s Mitsui and Mitsubishi, had to surrender majority interest to Gazprom due to pressure from the Russian government regarding the violation of environmental regulations (formal transfer of shares took place April this year).

However, it is not well known in Japan that actions of a 90-year-old man and his son who live in a countryside in UK contributed to the above movement.

Recently, I visited them. They live in the town of Colchester.

*LLOYD’S/DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ARTICLE: US Court Ruling Paves For Shell Reserves Settlement To Proceed: 19 Nov 2007

*REUTERS ARTICLE: Shell to cut thousands of IT jobs: 21 Dec 2007

*DOW JONES/CNNMONEY.COM ARTICLE: Shell May Cut Jobs At Finance Department: 24 Dec 2007

*SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ARTICLE: Shell plans to outsource 3,600 jobs: 30 Dec 2007 (PDF DOWNLOADED 5 APRIL 2021)

*MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS ARTICLE: Fears for Shell: 30 Dec 2007

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell looks to outsource about 3,200 IT jobs: 30 Dec 2007 22.05

*GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Shell to outsource 3,600 IT jobs: 31 Dec 2007

*Nasdaq.com: UPDATE: Shell May Cut Jobs At Finance Department – Source: 31 Dec 2007

EXTRACT: The talks were first reported on the Web site royaldutchshellplc.com, which is critical of the company. That report said thousands of jobs – among staff or contractors – could be cut as result.

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell looks to outsource nearly all 3,600 IT jobs: 30 December 2.00am

*DOW JONES NEWSWIRES/NASDAQ ARTICLE: UPDATE: Shell May Cut Jobs At Finance Department – Source: 31 Dec 2007

*DAILY EXPRESS ARTICLE: Shell to cut thousands of IT jobs: 31 Dec 2007 PDF Version

*DAILY MAIL ARTICLE: Shell to axe 3,200 jobs: 31 Dec 2007

*Rigzone/Dow Jones Newswires: Shell Plans Multi-Pronged Reorganization for 2008: 31 Dec 2007pdf version

2008

*Corporate Reputation (relevant extract): Book by Dr Leslie Gaines-Ross: Published January 2008

Extracts from chapter entitled “Reputation Loss” pages 19 & 20:

One such empowered activist is arch Shell critic Alfred Donovan. No one was more surprised than Royal Dutch Shell PLC to learn that this 88-year-old British army veteran had purchased the Internet domain name www.royaldutchshellplc.com . The gadfly Donovan was a well-known, though underestimated, critic of the company. By acquiring the domain name, Donovan obtained the perfect platform to voice his criticisms of the oil giant. Who would have thought a decade ago that such an unlikely individual could stand up to a corporate powerhouse, waging a war of words against one of the world’s largest companies?

*WALL STREET JOURNAL/DOW JONES ARTICLE: Shell Plans Cost Cutting As Profit Is Threatened: 2 Jan 2008

Extract: Shell intends to transfer “close to 3,000 positions” from its IT staff to outsourcing companies, according to a Shell newsletter obtained by Royaldutchshellplc.com, a Web site critical of the company. The document says IT staff will receive a letter in early January telling them whether they will remain.

*BLOOMBERG ARTICLE: Shell Will Cut Finance Jobs, Reorganize in Nigeria, WSJ Says: 2 Jan 2008

Extract: There’s also a plan to transfer 3,000 information technology jobs to outsourcing companies, the newspaper said, citing a Shell newsletter obtained by Royaldutchshellplc.com, a Web site critical of the company.

*COMPUTERWORLD ARTICLE: Shell plans to outsource 3,200 IT jobs: 2 Jan 2008

EXTRACT: News of the plan emerged after an email written by Goh Swee Chen, vice-president of IT infrastructure, was posted to an anti-Shell website. It has been confirmed by the firm as authentic.

*DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ARTICLE: Shell CEO Reassures Staff After Outsourcing Leak – Report: 5 Jan 2008

EXTRACT: LONDON (Dow Jones)– Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer is seeking to reassure staff after leaks over the company’s plans to transfer 3,000 IT employees, according to a document obtained by Royaldutchshellplc.com, a Web site critical of the oil giant.

50*Dow Jones Newswires: Shell: Easy Oil No Longer Matching Demand After ‘15 – Web Site: 23 January 2008

EXTRACT: In a document obtained by Royaldutchshellplc.com, a Web site critical of the company, Jeroen van der Veer also predicted that under the company’s preferred scenario, 90% of the carbon dioxide emitted by coal- and gas-fired power plants in developed countries would be captured by 2050.

*WALL STREET JOURNAL/DOW JONES ARTICLE: Shell OKs Extra $27M Legal Fee In Reserves Case-Website: 24 Jan 2008

*THE TIMES: Demand for oil and gas will outstrip supply within 7 years says Shell chief: 25 Jan 2008

*DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ARTICLE: Shell: Easy Oil No Longer Matching Demand After ’15 – Web Site: 25 Jan 2008

*WikiLeaks record from THE GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FILES Stratfor.com email-id 1161378 dated 1 December 2008 relating to Gazprom loans and the Royal Dutch Shell Sakhalin-2 project.  pdf version

*THE TIMES CITY DIARY: A curious letter from Jeroen van der Veer: 25 Jan 2008

*WALL STREET JOURNAL: Shell Addresses Output Issue: 18 March 2008

*WWF Evidence submitted in 2008 to House of Commons Select Committee quoting from a John Donovan Sakhalin II article published on royaldutchshellplc.com

(1): The UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT Hansard Archives Research Uncorrected Evidence: 20 June 2008

(2): Memorandum submitted by WWF to inquiry by House of Commons Select Committee: Quotes Sakhalin II corruption allegations from royaldutchshellplc.com article: 20 June 2008

(3): House of Commons Environmental Audit – Minutes of Evidence ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 14 October 2008 (RELATED LINK IS IMMEDIATELY BELOW)

(4) www.parliament.uk: Evidence submitted by WWF to Select Committee on Environmental Audit: Evidence submitted 20 June 2008: (SAKHALIN II BACKGROUND INFORMATION: — Allegations have been made by a whistleblower of inappropriate relationships between SEIC management and its contractors, in particular Starstroi and its subcontractor SU4.[22])

Backup webpages 1, 2, 3, 4

UK Parliament Select Committee on Environmental Audit Minutes of Evidence Annexe II entitled “SAKHALIN II BACKGROUND INFORMATION” published on 20 June 2008

House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee. The Export Credits Guarantee Department and Sustainable Development. Eleventh Report of Session 2007-08 Reference link to royaldutchshellplc.com. Item 22 on the last page before landscape annexe pages.

*The Reform of Class and Representative Actions in European Legal Systems: Book by Christopher Hodges, MA (Oxon), PhD (Lond), FSALS: June 2008: Front Cover, Pages 75 & 76, plus Back Cover.

*Law of the Internet by George B. Delta and Jeffrey H. Matsuura (Oct 2008)

Excerpt from 2011-1 SUPPLEMENT 8-28

“The Sixth Circuit took the position that these negative domain names used in conjunction with Web sites that raised criticism of commercial conduct were forms of expression protected by the First Amendment.93 In some instances, critics of an organization register domain names using marks associated with the target company in order to prevent the company from using those domains or to use the domains to present Web content critical of the target organization. This type of dispute exists between Royal Dutch/Shell Group and Alfred Donovan, involving the domain name www.royaldutchshellplc.com.94″

93. Taunman Co. v. Webfeats. 310 F.3d 770 (6th Cir. 2003).

94. Chip Cummins, Shell Wages Legal Fight over Web Domain Name, Wall St. J., June 2, 2005, at B7.

*GUARDIAN ARTICLE: Shell pension underfunded, contributions to rise: 12 Dec 2008

*INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE ARTICLE: Shell pension underfunded: 12 Dec 2008

*REUTERS ARTICLE: Shell’s pension underfunded, contributions rise: 12 Dec 2008

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell pension scheme value falls 40%: 12 Dec 2008

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell pension scheme value falls 40%: 13 December 2008 

*20 page paper by John R. Patton, Florida Institute of Technology, entitled “RUSSIAN FEDERATION ENERGY POLICIES AND RISKS TO INTERNATIONAL JOINT VENTURES IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY” published by International Business: Research, Teaching and Practice in 2008. The penultimate page contains a reference to an article published on royaldutchshellplc.com

2009

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell gets tough on costs as oil prices bite: 30 Jan 2009

(Reference to the website: “Copies of the emails are available at www.royaldutchshellplc.com”)

Syndicated publishers

*AOL Money Canada

*CNBC

*Forbes.com

*Financial Post

*Guardian.co.uk

*International Herald Tribune

*AFX UK Focus Story published by London Stock Exchange plc

*MSN.com

75*STV (Scottish TV News website)

*USA Today

*National Post

Syndicated articles end 

*SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS ARTICLE: Gripe sites are all the rage now: 7 Feb 2009

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE: INTERVIEW-Shell eyes Mid East growth, to cut some jobs: 9 Feb 2009

(Reference to website: “Earlier, some employees posted comments on Shell protest website royaldutchshellplc.com saying up to half the jobs at the Dubai operation could go.”)

Syndicated publishers

*GuardianOnline

*Forbes

*Forexpros

*Trade Arabia

*ArabianBusiness.com

*Economic Times of India

Syndicated articles end 

*LAW JOURNAL NEWSLETTER ARTICLE – THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY STRATEGIST: Gripe Sites: Sue or Stew: Feb 2009

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell to stall hires and get “ruthless” on contractors: 12 Feb 2009

(Reference to website: “A copy of the email is available on Shell protest site royaldutchshellplc.com to which Shell employees often post comments.”)

Syndicated publishers

*upstreamonline: Shell ‘set to get ruthless’

*BNET

*Singapore Retrenchment

*Interactive Investor

*ExecutiveDigital

*LondonSouthEast.co.uk

Syndicated articles end

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell shake-up widely rumoured; E&P and G&P tipped to merge: 26 May 2009 5.06PM

(Reference to website: “Shell-watching blog royaldutchplc.com says it has assembled from ‘multiple sources inside Shell’ that not only will E&P and G&P merge, but that 30 per cent of senior managers/executives will also go. The company is apparently meeting in Berlin over the next two days and this will all be delivered by Peter Voser, the incoming chief executive, on Thursday.”)

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell clears way for senior shake-up: 26 May 2009 6.53am

(Reference to website: “Royaldutchshellplc.com, an independent website used by Shell staff, on Tuesday said more than 30 per cent of senior management were expected to go.”)

*Denver Post article: Shell rumored to plan restructuring, layoffs: 26 May 2009

*AFP ARTICLE: Shell : la patronne de la division gaz s’en va, rumeur de réorganisation: 26 May 2009

English Translation from French

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 Brinded, leader of the division “exploration and production”, to succeed Jeroen van der Veer.

According to analysts, the announced departure of Linda Cook reflects Mr. Voser to make its mark without delay and to renew the framework of the group, even for a reorganization of its activities.

Peter Hutton, the firm NCB, said that the resignation was “not unusual” on the part of a candidate aligned, adding that Linda Cook was deemed not to get along with Mr. Voser.

However, he said the other main internal candidate for the post of general manager, Malcolm Brinded far to experience a similar fate, could not see its position strengthened by the departure of Ms. Cook, and recover all or part of its functions.

“Peter Voser might seek to merge the gas and energy division in the upstream division + + (the industry” exploration and production “, ie), as is the case with the rival groups BP and Total, in order to generate economies of operation, “he anticipated.

Meanwhile, the website royaldutchshellplc.com, led by Alfred and John Donovan, former employees opposed to the direction of the oil group, has confirmed these speculations, saying that Mr Voser would announce an overhaul of the organizational group Thursday, after a two-day meeting of the principals of the company to be held in Berlin.

According to the site, said that based on internal sources of Shell, Mr Voser actually announce that day the integration of gas and energy division in the upstream division, and the disappearance of certain centers and regional decision removing a third of the senior group.

* EXTRA ARTICLE INSERTED NOT INCLUDED IN COUNT

Seeking Alpha:

Major changes brewing at Shell (NYSE:RDS.A), according to the blog of Shell critic John Donovan….

May 26, 2009 11:47 AM ET Shell plc (SHEL)SHEL By: Eli HoffmannSA News Editor
Major changes brewing at Shell (NYSE:RDS.A), according to the blog of Shell critic John Donovan. On Thursday, more than 30% of Shell’s executives will be “culled,” and a merger of Shell EP and Shell Gas & Power will be announced.
INSERTION ENDS

*MAIL ONLINE ARTICLE: Shell shock as long-timer Cook is first to go in Voser cull: 26 May 2009

Reference to royaldutchshellplc.com:

Voser is expected to use the summit to announce the culling of almost a third of Shell’s senior managers, according to a report on company gossip site Royaldutchshellplc.com yesterday.

The unauthorised site, which has regularly obtained leaks from Shell insiders, said Voser will also announce the merger of Shell’s Gas & Power and Exploration & Production divisions at the meeting, which may help explain Cook’s departure.

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shake-up looms at Shell as head of gas and power division departs: 27 May 2009 3.00am

100*FINANCIAL TIMES: Cost cutting to top agenda of incoming Shell chief: 27 May 2009

*FINANCIAL TIMES FRONT PAGE LEAD ARTICLE: Surprise departure as Shell set for revamp: 27 May 2009

(Reference to website: “Royaldutchshellplc.com, an independent website used by Shell staff, said yesterday that more than 30 per cent of senior managers were expected to go.”)

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shock exit as Shell braces for shake-up: 27 May 2009 3.00am

*DAILY MAIL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Shell shock as Cook is first to go in Voser Cull: 27 May 2009

*DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ARTICLE: Shell To Restructure, Merge Three Units: 27 May 2009: Identifies Company Web site as “www.royaldutchshellplc.com”

By JAMES HERRON
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

LONDON — Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) said Wednesday it will launch a major company restructuring, merging its exploration and production, gas and power and oil sands units into two new divisions as new Chief Executive Peter Voser puts his stamp on the company.

Shell’s current global head of exploration and production, Malcolm Brinded, will head up the larger of the new divisions, called Upstream International. Marvin Odum, currently Shell’s Executive Vice President for Exploration and Production Americas, will become director of Upstream Americas.

The reorganization will affect around 24,000 Shell staff. A Shell spokesman declined to comment on how many jobs may be cut. Shell critic John Donovan reported on his blog Tuesday that more than 30% of senior executives at the two divisions could be culled.

At 0820 GMT Shell B shares were down 0.5%, or 8 pence, at 1655p in a fairly flat London market.

Company Web site: www.royaldutchshellplc.com

—By James Herron, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20 7842 9317;
[email protected]

*LONDON EVENING STANDARD ONLINE ARTICLE: Senior managers at Shell today started a two-day conference where they will be told of large potential staff cuts: 27 May 2009

*LONDON EVENING STANDARD NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Shell braced for massive job cuts in Berlin summit: 27 May 2009

Senior managers at Shell today started a two-day conference where they will be told of large potential staff cuts.

The summit in Berlin comes a day after the oil giant’s head of gas, Linda Cook, left Shell after being passed over for the chief executive’s role.

That job is being taken up by Peter Voser, the company’s finance director, on 1 July. Shell insiders’ website Royaldutchshellplc.com reported that Voser will tell his top 100 managers that Cook’s old division will be merged with exploration and production in a move aimed at dramatic staff cuts. It is believed this was Voser’s platform on which he made his pitch to the board for the chief executive’s job.

Although oil prices have increased hugely in the past few months, at $61.59 a barrel today, it is still way down on the $147 at which it peaked last year, meaning Shell has to cut costs in order to retain its profitability.

Meanwhile, staff flocked to Royaldutchshell.com to attack the group’s management.

One entry read: “Amongst those to be culled are (I suspect) many who are not only competent but who also realised that Shell historically was a bit different from the rest of the American oil major groups. No more. Sadly Shell is now the worst of the oil majors by far in almost every respect. And for those of us who in our small ways helped build a company that we were proud of its not just regrettable but a scandal.”

*THE HERALD NEWSPAPER, WEBSITE ARTICLE: New Shell chief ready to slash and burn: 29 May 2009

Shell will also set up a new division to handle project delivery and technology. It will be led by Matthias Bichsel, who is also Swiss. Some Shell employees complained on their website Royaldutchshellplc.com that a “Swiss Mafia” is running the group.

*ROMANDIE NEWS: Le nouveau patron de Shell Peter Voser imprime sa marque sans traîner: 27 May 2009

Mardi, le site royaldutchshellplc.com, animé par d’anciens employés opposés à la direction du groupe pétrolier, avait affirmé en s’appuyant sur des sources internes que le nouveau patron de Shell allait sabrer le tiers des postes de cadres supérieurs.

“Forcément, il y aura des emplois en moins”, mais Shell ne s’est pas fixé d’objectif en la matière, a assuré de son côté un porte-parole du groupe à l’AFP, qualifiant les affirmations de royaldutchshellplc.com de “pures spéculations”.

Extracts using Google English translation:

Tuesday, royaldutchshellplc.com site, hosted by former employees against the group management oil, had argued on the basis of internal sources as the new boss of Shell would cut one-third of senior management positions.

“Inevitably, there will be fewer jobs, but Shell did not set a goal in the subject, assured of its later a spokesman for the group to AFP, called the assertions of royaldutchshellplc.com “pure speculation”.

*529 Dutch Website; 27 May 2009

Volgens de blog royaldutchshellplc.com gaat het vooral om ondersteunend, administratief en IT- personeel. Verder zijn er geruchten dat 30% van het managament zijn baan verliest, wat Shell ontkent. Wel staat in een uitgelekte e-mail die Peter Voser vanochtend aan het personeel stuurde dat “minder mensen meer strategische beslissingen gaan nemen”.

Our behaviours need to change if we want to enable leadership performance in a strong performance culture.

That will mean that fewer people will make strategic decisions. More people will implement them, and improving performance will be our guide and goal. We will become a simpler place to work.

*le nouvel Observateur: 27 May 2009

*le nouvel Observateur English Version: Shell reorganizes: 27 May 2009

Tuesday, royaldutchshellplc.com site, hosted by former employees against the direction of the oil company, had argued on the basis of internal sources as the new boss of Shell had decided to remove a third of senior management positions.

*China Money 163.com: 27 May 2009

Royaldutchshellplc.com?

*DutchDN: Snur Shell på hodet: 27 May 2009

*EXTRACT: Ifølge royaldutchshellplc.com, som er et uavhengig nettsted for Shell-ansatte, vil mer enn 30 prosent av høyere ledere måtte gå.

*DutchFEM: “Grondige reorganisatie Shell”: 27 May 2009

Om kosten te besparen zou de nieuwe ceo van Shell 30 procent van de senior managers een gouden handdruk willen geven, zo schrijft Shell-criticus John Donovan op zijn website. Die informatie zegt hij van binnen het bedrijf te hebben.

*fd.nl: ‘Nieuwe Shell-CEO gaat grootscheeps reorganiseren’: 27 May 2009

26 mei 2009, 17:30 uur | FD.nl/DJ

AMSTERDAM (FD.nl/DJ)–De nieuwe CEO van Royal Dutch Shell, Peter Voser, kondigt donderdag een grootscheepse reorganisatie van het bedrijf aan, waarbij meer dan 30% van de topmanagers en bestuurders sneuvelt. Dat schrijft Shell- criticus John Donovan dinsdag op zijn weblog, op basis van anonieme bronnen bij het bedrijf.

Behalve het vertrek van 30% van het hogere management zou het plan een fusie omvatten van de divisies Exploration & Production met Shell Gas & Power.

De bekendmaking zal volgens Donovan worden gedaan tijdens een vergadering van honderd topmanagers van het bedrijf in Berlijn.

Een woordvoerder van Shell wilde niet reageren op het bericht.

Archie van Riemsdijk; FD.nl/DJ; +31-20-5928456; [email protected]

Copyright (c) 2009 Het Financieele Dagblad

*koers alarm.nl: 27 May 2009

Gisteren viel op de weblog van John Donovan al te lezen dat Shell een grootscheepse reorganisatie zal doorvoeren. Donovan meende dat de opvolger van Jeroen van der Veer, Peter Voser, a.s. donderdag tijdens een bijeenkomst van honderd topmanagers de actie zal aankondigden waarbij het management van de oliereus niet zal worden gespaard. Naar verluidt zal 1 op de 3 topmanagers het veld moeten ruimen.

*z24nl: 27 May 2009

De reorganisatie moet leiden tot een hogere efficiëntie en zou nodig zijn vanwege de sterk gedaalde olieprijs. Shell kon nog geen commentaar leveren op de berichtgeving. De website Royaldutchshellplc.com meldt dat 30 procent van de senior managers zou moeten vertrekken.

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell to cut 350-450 senior managers in overhaul – website: 30 May 2009

Shell to cut 350-450 senior managers in overhaul – web site

Sat May 30, 2009 9:49am EDT

LONDON, May 30 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) plans to cut 350-450 senior management roles as it restructures to cut costs and improve operational performance, according to a website to which Shell employees post internal information.

The cuts represent almost 30 percent of Shell’s “Senior Executive Group” layer of management, John Donovan, the operator of the Royaldutchshellplc.com website said. Earlier this week Shell announced a major restructuring but gave no targets for job or cost cuts. [ID:nLR946279]

The Royaldutchshellplc.com website was the first to reveal news of the planned restructuring.

Shell declined to comment.

(Reporting by Tom Bergin, editing by Mike Peacock)

© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

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*WALL STREET JOURNAL/DOW JONES NEWSWIRES SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Leaked Shell E-mail Reveals 62 Senior Executive Appointments 22/23 June 2009

JUNE 22, 2009, 11:26 A.M. ET

LONDON (Dow Jones)–An internal e-mail from Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) leaked to a blog critical of the company has revealed the appointments of 62 senior executives to new roles within the restructured company.

The e-mail dated June 16, sent by incoming Chief Executive Peter Voser, was published Saturday on the blog royaldutchshellplc.com. A Shell spokesman said the company does not comment on purported leaks.

Effective July 1, Ceri Powell, former Executive Vice President, or EVP, for Strategy becomes EVP for Exploration for the company’s international operations, the e-mail said. Dave Lawrence, former EVP for global exploration moves to head up exploration in the new Shell Americas division.

Ian Craig, the former head of the Sakhalin-2 liquefied natural gas project in Russia becomes EVP for Sub-Saharan Africa and will oversee the company’s troubled Nigerian operations, the e-mail said. Former Africa chief, Ann Pickard, becomes EVP Australia.

Charles Watson, former EVP of Shell Energy Europe, will head the company’s Russian and Caspian upstream operations.

All the above executives will report to the global head of Exploration and Production, Malcolm Brinded.

Blog Web site: http://tinyurl.com/lsjxwm

-By James Herron, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20 7842 9317; [email protected]

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Later publication of the same article: WALL STREET JOURNAL/DOW JONES NEWSWIRES: Leaked Shell E-mail Reveals 62 Senior Executive Appointments: (Alternative copy) Monday, June 22, 2009, as of 4:26 PM

*Canadian International Council 51 Page report entitled “Canadian Arctic Sovereignty and Security in a Transforming Circumpolar World”July 2009. Two article references to royaldutchshellplc.com

*WALL STREET JOURNAL/DOW JONES NEWSWIRES SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell Email Leak Says US Convent Refinery Income Dismal -Blog: 17 July 2009

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

AUGUST 3, 2009, 6.13 A.M.

By Benoit Faucon

of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

LONDON (Dow Jones)–A Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) list of over 300 vice presidents, some of whom have been recently appointed, available on a critic’s blog shows that the restructuring started by new Chief Executive Peter Voser is deepening.

The list, obtained by Website Royaldutchshellplc.com, was drawn after Voser launched a top management shake-up in the Anglo-Dutch oil major as it tries to adapt to the new reality of lower oil prices. The company, when contacted by Dow Jones Newswires, said it doesn’t comment on internal documents.

The restructuring has already been seen as a factor behind the high profile departure of head of gas and power Linda Cook. But the list shows the changes are now moving from top executives to lower levels of management.

As an example, African gas manager De la Rey Venter is now listed as VP for Shell’s critical global liquefied-natural-gas new business.

Bart van de Leemput is adding the management of Shell’s Dutch onshore joint-venture Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij to his responsibility as vice-president for non-operated European upstream ventures.

Many managers, however, remain at their current position. That’s the case for Mutiu Sunmonu, VP production for Africa which embattled business has recently made headway with some output resumption.

By Benoit Faucon, Dow Jones Newswires; +44-20-7842-9266; [email protected]

Syndicated versions published 17 July and 21 July 2009 (Corrected version)

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*Wall Street Journal: CORRECTION(7/17): Shell Email Leak: Convent Refinery Income Dismal: 21 July 2009

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*SUNDAY TIMES ARTICLE: Two men and a website mount vendetta against an oil giant: 19 July 2009

*Pdf of an article published in the newspaper (contains a subtitle below the graphics/photo display: “They just go on digging: the Donovans’ campaign has caused Shell expense and embarrassment at its operations in Russia, which include the Sakhalin gas project and drilling in the Sea of Okhotsk”)

*FINANCIAL TIMES ENERGY SOURCE ARTICLE: Why royaldutchshellplc.com do what they do (The Times): 20 July 2009

*WALL STREET JOURNAL/DOW JONES SYNDICATED ARTICLE – PUBLISHED BY NEW YORK DAILY NEWS AND MANY OTHERS: Shell’s Leaked 300 VPs List Shows Deepening Restructuring: 3 August 2009

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*fd.nl Het Financieele Dagblad : Gelekte lijst VP-posities Shell toont verdieping reorganisatie

*fd.nl Het Financieele Dagblad : Google Translation into English) Leaked list VP positions Shell floor displays reorganization

*DeBeurs.nl (In Dutch): Gelekte lijst VP-posities Shell toont verdieping reorganisatie

*DeBeurs (Google translation into English) Leaked list VP positions Shell floor displays reorganization

*ENGLISH CAPITAL

*NEW YORK DAILY NEWS.COM

*NATIONAL POST

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*US Education Course for the University of California, San Diego set by Professor Valerie RameyFall 2009. reference link to royaldutchshellplc.com on page 2. 

*DOW JONES SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell To Unveil More Job-Cut Details Soon: 4 Sept 2009

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(Reference in an article: John Donovan, the blogger managing Royaldutchshellplc.com, a Web site critical of the company, said he was told by his sources production division will be cut by 15%.”)

Syndicated versions end

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell set to unveil job cuts: 4 Sept 2009 8.47pm

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell to cut jobs in core exploration unit-website: 4 Sept 2009

LONDON, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) is planning job cuts of around 15 percent in its core exploration and production unit, a Shell protest website reported on Friday, citing sources inside the oil major.

An announcement on a restructuring of the unit, which generates most of Shell’s profit, is due on Monday, website Royaldutchshellplc.com said. Shell declined comment.

In May, Europe’s largest oil company by market value said it planned to restructure its exploration division and divide it into two units, one focused on the Americas and another focused on the rest of the world.

Since, then new Chief Executive Peter Voser has announced hundreds of job cuts across the company as it struggles with plunging revenues after oil prices collapsed from a record above $147/barrel in July 2008.

On Thursday, ratings agency Standard and Poors lowered its long-term rating on Shell to “AA” from “AA+”, citing concerns about its cash flows.

The website did not say how many jobs would likely be affected by the plan. (Editing by David Cowell)

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*Reuters: UPDATE 1-Shell to cut jobs in core exploration unit-website

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*XE.com

*EL ECONOMISTIC.com.mx (Mexico):

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*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell set to unveil job cuts: 4 Sept 2009 8.47pm

*SUN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE PDF: Shell axe ‘warning’: Sat 5 Sept 2009

*Financial Times: Shell set to unveil job cuts (Website) 5 Sept 2009

200*Financial Times: Shell set to unveil job cuts (Newspaper) pdf

*CALGARY HERALD ARTICLE: Oilpatch yearns for end to layoffs: 5 Sept 2009 (See page 4)

*BUSINESSDAY SOUTH AFRICA: Royal Dutch Shell said to be planning job cuts: 7 Sept 2009

*ChinaMining.com

*US Education Course for the University of California, San Diego set by Professor Valerie RameyFall 2009. 6-page course with reference to an article link on royaldutchshellplc.com

*Finanmagru (Russia): 7 September 2009

*DAILY MAIL ARTICLE: Shell prepares to wield the axe: 8 Sept 2009

Extract: A report on company protest site royaldutchshellplc.com said about 15% of jobs in the exploration and production unit will be lost and employees will be told early this week.

pdf version of Daily Mail article

*THIS IS MONEY ARTICLE: Oil giant prepares to cut jobs: 8 Sept 2009

*GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: 92-year-old’s website leaves oil giant Shell-shocked: 26 October 2009PDF Link to actual newspaper article: MediaGuardian pdf: Link to comments

*Russian Publication of Guardian article in Russian language

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell ‘defers downstream IT investment’ – report: 30 October 2009

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*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell image-making falls short on the forecourt: 9 November 2009

Reference to website:

Update: Shell has changed its mind about the poppies and published a rather abject apology about the whole affair. Royaldutchshellplc.com – probably company’s most eagle-eyed watchers – have published the whole thing and even gave them a pat on the back for it. PDF Version

*REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell critic says oil major targeting his website: 2 December 2009

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*Calgary Herald: 3 December 2009 pdf newspaper article

*Edmonton Journal: 3 December 2009 pdf newspaper article

225*Energy Industry News

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*FT Energy/Source

*The Times City Diary: December 3, 2009; By Martin Waller: Websites and blogs devoted to attacking specific companies have been around for some time — remember NTHell? — but now, it seems, the targets are fighting back. John Donovan, who runs a critical website of a well-known oil company, says the site is being targeted by an anti-cyber fraud agency. He claims the aim is to try to uncover who has leaking to his site. The feud dates back to the 1990s, when Shell was a client of Mr Donovan’s sale promotion business. pdf version.

2010

*17-page report by Michael Priestley entitled “China’s reliance on Australian LNG exports” published by Parliament of Australia Department of Parliamentary Services on 6 January 2010. Reference link on page 4 to an article on royaldutchshellplc.com

*United States Trademark Law book published by BOOKS LLC in 2010

Chapter 11 is devoted to the website ROYALDUTCHSHELLPLC.COM

Extract: royaldutchsheUplc.com is a Royal Dutch Shell gripe site and blog operated by Alfred and John Donovan, who engaged in several marketing campaigns with Shell during the 1980s and early 1990s. The father and son duo believe Shell violated intellectual property agreements and filed several law suits against Shell prior to starting several websites critical of Shell, including royaldutchshellplc.com. The site has been oft quoted in news sources and is known for its activities as an Internet leak and forum for Shell whistleblowers.

*WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE: “Shell Data Leak May Compromise Safety Of Staff – Emails”: 4 February 2010

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*DataBreaches.net: Shell employee contact data breach affects over 100,000: 7 February 2010

Syndicated version ends

*Financial Times: Shell staff details leaked to campaign groups: 11 February 2010

*FINANCIAL TIMES ARTICLE: Shell staff contact list leaked to environmental campaign groups: 12 February 2010

*Times Online: Confidential Shell database published on web: 12 February 2010

*ComputerWeekly.com: Did activists infiltrate Shell to obtain contacts database?: 12 February 2010

*ComputerWeekly.com: Shell staff details revealed in security breach

*Evening Express: Alert after Shell workers’ data leaked on web: 12 February 2010

*Financial Times: Shell employees’ details leaked to environmental campaigners: 12 February 2010

*Financial Times Blog: Shell’s directory leak shouldn’t be taken lightly: 12 February 2010

*Dark Reading: Shell Employee Directory Leaked, Allegedly By Activist Workers

*Financial Times: Shell staff contact list leaked to environmental campaign groups

250*Irish Herald.ie: Shell staff details exposed online in security leak risk

*The Times: SHELL INVESTIGATES INTERNET POSTING OF PERSONAL DETAILS:13 February 2010

*Reuters: SHELL INVESTIGATES INTERNET POSTING OF PERSONAL DETAILS: 13 February 2010

*The Register: Shell hit by massive data breach: 15 Feb 2010

*ITPRO: Shell hit by massive data breach: 15 Feb 2010

*ITWIRE: Shell’s internal directory leaked to activists: 16 Feb 2010

*ITPRO: Shell data hackers hoped to kick-off ‘revolution’: 16 Feb 2010

DATA BREACH STORIES END

*WikiLeaks THE GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FILES 19 Feb 2010 Email-ID 5033529. Stratfor.com Nigeria database – Open “Attached Files” 167401.

*ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST: The Corrib Gas controversy: October 2010: Book – can be purchased on Amazon

Extract: Four years later, in November 2007, the RoyalDutchShellplc.com website run by Alfred and John Donovan – long-time critics of the multinationalpublished details of minutes of a meeting of Shell group managing directors on 22 and 23 July 2002. Planning refusal for the Ballinaboy gas terminal in north Mayo was discussed, according to the website, which quoted from the minutes: ‘The committee queried whether the group had sufficiently well placed contacts with the Irish government and regulators. Paul Skinner undertook to explore this issue further in consultation with the country chairman in Ireland.’

*IRISH TIMES ARTICLE: Corrib gas consultants apologise for omitting data on pipeline route: 28 July 2010

2011

*CRC Press: The Four Stages of Highly Effective Crisis Management” by Jan Jordan-Meier Book Published March 2011

Extract:

Not only have they been actively campaigning against the company for nearly a decade (they started in 2001), but they own the domain name www.royaldutchshellplc.com–Shell’s proper name, you guessed it, Royal Dutch Shell.

According to an interview on their blog, the site receives millions of hits per month and many of the people using the site are shell employees.

Influential–you bet. The Donovans and their blog are regularly quoted in the mainstream media–no doubt that the father-and-son team is an ongoing headache for Shell.

*IRISH TIMES ARTICLE: Gardaí investigate alleged death threats to Corrib whistleblowers: 11 April 2011

Extract: The RoyalDutchShellplc.com website is highly critical of Shell’s operations worldwide. It was established in 2005 by the Donovans, owners of a marketing company which was involved in court actions with Shell.

*66-page report authored by Albert ten Kate entitled: “Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles” published by Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) in May 2011

Extract

Research

Assessing the online library of news articles and leaked documents (over 25,000 articles and documents) about Royal Dutch Shell via http://royaldutchshellplc.com

*OUR INVOLVEMENT IN A SUNDAY TIMES ARTICLE: Shell’s North Sea Reputation sunk by severe corrosion: 21 August 2011

*OUR INVOLVEMENT IN A SUNDAY EXPRESS ARTICLE: SCOTTISH OIL RIGS IN DIRE STRAITS: 11 September 2011

*THE MAYO NEWS ARTICLE: Natural resources – they have’n’t gone away you know: 7 October 2011

Extract: The royaldutchshellplc.com website had this on its home page last Friday. This website, subtitled, ‘News and information on Royal Dutch Shell Plc’ has nothing whatever to do with the said company. A disclaimer states: “This is not a Shell website nor is it officially endorsed by or affiliated with Shell in any way.” The site was founded by 94 year-old Alfred Donovan, the former Chairman of the Shell Corporate Conscience Pressure Group. He is assisted by, among others, his son, John, who has been involved in the gasoline retailing industry for over 40 years. John is best known for his long association with the Royal Dutch Shell Group, firstly for devising marketing campaigns on an international basis and more recently as a long-term Shell shareholder and critic of Shell senior management. The site is a mine of information on Shell’s activities worldwide.

2012

*Extract from the ebook by Robert Eringer, Suck My Pen: How to Gut Goliath by Becoming an Interactive Hub of Dissent (Published March 2012 Kindle Edition)

EXTRACTS:

 …the most successful gripe site of all time, which targets Shell Oil, actually operates under the domain name royaldutchshellplc.com, Shell’s legal trading name.

IX. CASE STUDY: SHELL OIL

1. Royal Dutch Shell Plc is a multinational Goliath that makes billions of dollars annually in profits from high oil prices and employs 100,000 persons in over a hundred countries; but if you go to royaldutchshellplc.com you will not find Shell Oil; you will find a gripe site operated by father and son Alfred and John Donovan.

2. In 1993, Shell allegedly stole promotional ideas disclosed to it in confidence by the Donovans; they resorted to legal means to remedy their predicament, resulting in many court battles; in the midst of litigation, the Donovans created an anti-Shell gripe site; Shell eventually paid to settle all court actions.

3. Nonetheless, the Donovans continued to use their site to hold Shell accountable whenever Shell’s policies did not correlate to their public relations and advertising rhetoric.

4. In March 2005, Shell initiated legal action to try to stop the Donovans from using royaldutchshellplc.com as their domain name; Shell lost.

5. Over time, the Donovans constructed the most comprehensive Shell-related news service on the Internet, gathering and publishing many news stories on Shell each day on a 24/7 basis; additionally, the Donovans write and publish an outspoken blog about Shell on which they discuss various news stories while voicing their expert opinions; if you Google “Royal Dutch Shell,” there are approximately of 1,120,000 results; the Donovan site consistently ranks number four.

6. Visitors to royaldutchshellplc.com site can post comments on its Live Chat feature without having to register, thereby allowing anonymous offerings; thus it attracts Shell insiders who reveal confidential information about Shell without them having to give up their identities; some such insiders graduated to leaking Shell internal correspondence documents to the Donovans.

7. Royaldutchshellplc.com receives several million hits monthly and has become an interactive hub of dissent, attracting whistleblowers who use the Donovan site as a means to leak numerous Shell secrets to the media, resulting in huge embarrassment to Shell’s senior management and even the resignation of a Shell senior executive.

8. A confidential Shell memo leaked to the Donovans tabled strategies for combatting the Donovan site; Shell conducted surveillance and deployed dirty tricks against the Donovans, including the use of an undercover agent who presented false credentials from a company that did not exist and was subsequently caught examining private mail inside the Donovans office.

9. The significance of the Donovan website has been acknowledged by mainstream media; One World Trust, an independent research organization, announced that the Donovan site has had a “profound” impact on Shell.

10. Profound, indeed; revelations published on royaldutchshellplc.com have cost Shell billions of dollars; as such, David gutted Goliath.

*Sueddeutsche Zeitung double page spread article on Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Company Enemy No. 1: 17 March 2012

*The headline is “Konzernfeind No.1″ freely translated as: “The Company’s (Shell’s) Enemy No.1″

*PRESSEUROP: John Donovan, Shell’s nightmare: 27 March 2012

Extract: Thanks to a network of “moles” inside the company, this early retiree from Britain is posting on his website reports on shortcomings inside the world’s largest oil group. It’s a dogged pursuit that has already cost the Anglo-Dutch giant several billions.

*VOXeurop: John Donovan, l’incubo di Shell: Published in Italian 27 March 2012

*VOXeurop: John Donovan, o pesadelo da Shell: Published in Portuguese: 27 March 2012

*VOXeurop: John Donovan, coşmarul celor de la Shell: published in Romanian: 27 March 2012

*ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF A FRENCH ARTICLE BY MYEUROP.INFO: The man who shook Shell: 29 March 2012

Extract: John Donovan, 64, is a meticulous man and very knowledgeable. For several years he has spent most of his time on what he describes as his “super-hobby”: the website royaldutchshellplc.com with scoops on the evils of the multinational.

Contacted by telephone Wednesday, Shell declined to comment about this annoying site.

It is not uncommon for John Donovan to find in his mailbox job applications, professional sales proposals and even terrorist threats directed at the oil company. It should be clear that it is an anti-Shell site, but there are many people who do not pay attention.

*BNR News Radio (Netherlands): JOHN DONOVAN, THE NIGHTMARE OF SHELL: 29 March 2012

275*Article by MyEuro.info: The Man Who Knew too much… about Shell: 3 April 2012

*Translation of an article published in an April 2012 edition of the German magazine ECOreporter.de: April Fool – Bad Publicity plus British Humour puts Shell on the defensive: April 2012

*European Journal TV news magazine. Documentary segment “Britain: Shell’s Enemy No. 1” First broadcast 2 May 2012 VIDEO LINK

*Ground Report: THE GRIPE SITE – ROYAL DUTCH SHELL VS. ROBERT ERINGER: 17 May 2012 pdf version

*TRANSLATION OF DUTCH MAGAZINE “VRIJ NEDERLAND” ARTICLE: How Shell pleased Qaddafi: 1 August 2012

Extract: The list was given to Vrij Nederland by the Englishman John Donovan of the website Royaldutchplc.com which has critically monitored the multinational for many years. John Donovan says he has a network of people who work for the oil and gas company or used to work for it.

2013

*WikiLeaks: Internal global intelligence company Stratfor email about an article relating to the Sakhalin project in Russia. (FT Article). One of several WikiLeak files citing royaldutchshellplc.com: Released by WikiLeaks 18 March 2013

*DOW JONES SYNDICATED ARTICLE: Shell Executive Managing Arctic Alaska Oil Program to Leave Company: 22 March 2013

Extract: The news about Mr. Lawrence’s departure was first reported on the website of John Donovan, a blogger critical of the company.

*Wall Street Journal: Head of Shell U.S. Arctic Program to Depart: 22 March 2013

Extract: The news about Mr. Lawrence’s departure was first reported on the website of John Donovan, a blogger critical of the company.

*RIGZONE: Shell Executive Managing Arctic Alaska Oil Program to Leave Company: Friday March 22, 2013

*Shell Executive From Arctic Alaska Oil Program to Leave: Fox Business: 22 March 2013

*FORBES ARTICLE: Did Shell Axe Exec Responsible For Alaska Drilling Fiasco?: 26 March 2013

*CLICK ON LINK EMBEDDED IN FUELFIX ARTICLE “SKEPTICS HAVE FOSTERED A DIFFERENT VIEW” : Shell exec leaves by ‘mutual consent’ after Arctic mishaps: 26 March 2013

*OBSERVER NEWSPAPER ARTICLE – MENTIONS DEATH OF ALFRED DONOVAN: Strange tale of Shell’s pipeline battle, the Garda and £30,000 of booze: 11 August 2013

*PDF OF OBSERVER NEWSPAPER WHOLE PAGE ARTICLE: Strange tale of Shell’s pipeline battle, the Garda and £30,000 of booze: 11 August 2013

Extract: Much correspondence between Shell and OSSL is posted on a website which then came to play a key role: royaldutchshellplc.com, run by John Donovan and until recently his father, Alfred, who died last month. The site, a thorn in Shell’s side, is a watchdog on the company and repository for material leaked by whistleblowers and discontents, with more than 30 million monthly hits. The Donovans had secured places for Kane and Rooney at Shell’s AGM last month, to raise their grievances. Cornered, the company’s CEO, Peter Voser, suddenly ordered a further inquiry, a move echoed by the Garda.

*Luxfer Group Limited Press Release: Luxfer Group enters into North American joint venture: 12 Aug 2013: PDF

*U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission website: Luxfer Group Enters into North American Joint Venture to Produce Gas Transportation Modules: 12 Aug 2013 PDF

*IRISH TIMES ARTICLE: Shell welcomes Garda examination of alcohol claims: 13 August 2013

Extract: The Garda Ombudsman confirmed yesterday that it was not currently investigating the claims, which first surfaced on the whistleblowers’ website royaldutchshellplc.com.

*THE MAYO NEWS ARTICLE: Gardaí deny booze bribes: 13 August 2013

Extract: The invoice for the consignment of alcohol is on-view on www.royaldutchshellplc.com, the site  of well-known Shell watchdog, John Donovan.

Donovan told The Mayo News yesterday he ‘made it plain to Shell that if they categorically stated that the invoice was fabricated, then [he] would remove it from [his] website’. The Observer also asked the gardaí and Supt John Gilligan, who was the garda chief at the time in Belmullet, to deny the claim but they simply re-sent a a prepared statement.

*Village Magazine 9 Page Article by Risteard Ó Domhnaill entitled “Bogs and Booze in Bellanaboy and Belmullet”: 17 December 2013

Extracts

In the first email published on the anti-Shell whistleblower website, royaldutchshellplc.com, OSSL alleges that a Shell contacts manager for Corrib “used OSSL to make payments of cash and gifts to various parties in Erris and beyond” and “gave instructions regarding the purchase of various items to be gifted to local householders with a view to advancing the project in a particularly difficult part of the construction program”.

Just a month later, OSSL decided to take its campaign public and posted its allegations on the anti-Shell website, royaldutchshellplc.com.

Six months later John Donovan, who runs royaldutchshellplc.com, received an invoice from OSSL. The invoice, drawn up five years after the event, outlines how two consignments of alcohol costing €29,500 were purchased in Northern Ireland by OSSL. They were then allegedly brought across the border in a commercial vehicle on the instruction of a Shell E&P Ireland employee and stored in OSSL premises in Bangor Erris.

2014

*FORBES MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Big Oil’s $3 Billion Homage To A Nazi War Criminal: 20 Dec 2014

2015

*THE JEWISH CHRONICLE: World’s biggest ship named after Nazi: 22 Jan 2015

*JEWISH BUSINESS NEWS : Jewish Groups Outraged At Launching Of World’s Largest Crane Ship Named After SS Officer: 24 Jan 2015

*DUTCH FINANCIAL TIMES: Criticism swells of Heerema’s ‘bad name’ heavy lift: 25 Jan 2015

*GUARDIAN ONLINE: Jewish outrage as ship named after SS war criminal arrives in Europe: 25 Jan 2015

*THE OBSERVER NEWSPAPER: Jewish outrage as world’s largest ship, named after SS war criminal, arrives in Europe: 25 Jan 2015

300*THE MAIL ONLINE: Named after SS Nazi war criminal: World’s largest ship sparks outrage as it arrives in Europe just as 70th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz is marked: 25 Jan 2015

*DAILY GAZETTE: Man’s fight to change ship’s Nazi-linked name (Pieter Schelte) succeeds: 11 Feb 2015 2015

*Maldon Standard: Man’s fight to change ship’s Nazi-linked name succeeds: 12 February 2015 

2016

*CNBC: UPDATE 1-Shell takes sacked UK workers overseas service tax break: 8 July 2016

*DAILY MAIL ONLINE: Shell takes sacked UK workers overseas service tax breaks: 8 July 2016

*Search page from USA.gov website downloaded 19 Oct 2016 containing a reference to an article published on royaldutchshellplc.com 

*Reuters Syndicated article: Shell faces possible Dutch lawsuit over Nigerian activist’s execution: 16 October 2016

*New York Times 16 Oct 2016

Also published by the following from 16 to the 17th of October 2016:

*Daily Mail: MailOnline

*Reuters Canada

*Reuters Africa

*YAHOO FINANCE

*OAN – One American News Network

*WHBL NEWS US RADIO

*WIBQ THE TALK STATION (US TALK RADIO)

*KFGO 790 AM US RADIO

*610KDAL AM US RADIO

*THE FISCAL TIMES (US WEBSITE)

*Investing.com

*StreetInsider.com

*London South East

*YouTube.com Wochit: Shell May Face Lawsuit Over Nigerian Activists Execution

*Shell Faces Lawsuit over Activists’ Execution: THIS DAY 

*Pulse Nigeria

*Naija247News

325*ChannelNewsAsia

*GistMaster Nigeria: Ogoni 9: Shell faces possible Dutch lawsuit over the execution of Nigerian activist Barinem Kiobel in 1995

*Business Daily (Africa)

*Nigeria Today

*TODAYonline (Singapore)

*TODAY (Ng) 

*defenceWeb Zambia 17 Oct 2016

Syndicated article ends

2017

*Reuters syndicated articleShell’s attorneys ordered to give Nigerian activist’s widow files for Dutch lawsuit: 11 Jan 2017

*Daily Mail: Mail Online

*Business Insider

*Yahoo FINANCE

*BusinessDay

*StreetInsider.com

*Google.co.uk

*Twitter #shell

*TV260 Nigeria: US court orders Shell to release files to Nigerian activist’s widow

*Nigeria Bar

*One America News Network

*LongRoom.com 

*Benchmarkmonitor.com

*biznes.onet.pl (Poland)

Syndicated article end

Reuters syndicated article: Shell Plans 400 Job Cuts at Dutch Projects and Technology Department: 31 July 2017

PDF versions in brackets

*Reuters (Reuters 31 July 2017

*The New York Times (Shell Plans 400 Job Cuts at Dutch Projects and Technology Department – The New York Times)

*CNBC (CNBC 31 July 2017)

*Daily Mail (Daily Mail 31 July 2017)

*YAHOO FINANCE: (YAHOO FINANCE 31 July 2017)

350*New York Daily News: (New York Daily News 31 July 2017)

*One America News Network: (One America News Network 31 July 2017)

*WIBQ TALK Radio (WIBQ Talk Radio Website 31 July 2017)

*Euronews (EuroNews: 31 July 2017)

*THE TIMES OF INDIA: (THE TIMES OF INDIA 31 July 2017)

*THE ECONOMIC TIMES OF INDIA (THE ECONOMIC TIMES OF INDIA 31 July 2017)

*Business Standard: (Business Standard 31 July 2017)

*BUSINESS INSIDER: (BusinessInsider.com 31 July 2017)

*CHANNEL NEWSASIA (CHANNEL NEWSASIA 31 July 2017)

*LONDON SOUTH EAST (LONDON SOUTH EAST 31 July 2017)

*THE FISCAL TIMES (THE FISCAL TIMES 31 July 2017)

*TimesofMalta.com (TimesofMalta.com 31 July 2017)

*RigZone (Rigzone 31 July 2017)

*The Star (The Star 1 Aug 2017)

*4-traders (4-traders 31 July 2017)

*HARTENERGY E&P Mag (E&P 31 July 2017)

*NewEurope (NewEurope 31 July 2017)

*The Chemical Engineer (Chemical Engineer 2 Aug 2017)

*THEEDGEMARKETS (THEEDGEMARKETS 31 July 2017)

*SIFY Finance (India) (SIFI INDIA 31 July 2017)

*SRN News (SRN News 31 July 2017)

*KITCO News (Kitco News 31 July 2017)

*Netscape World News: (Netscape 31 July 2017)

*MoneyControl.com: (MoneyControl.com 31 July 2017)

*Prometheism.net (Prometheism.net 31 July 2017)

2018

*Mossmorran Action Group Website. Royaldutchshellplc.com related article. 17 July 2018 pdf

Reuters Syndicated Article: Shell sees Nigeria corruption trial lasting many months – memo: 11 October 2018

“We do not yet know how long the trial will last but expect this to be many months, continuing into next year,” Ching said in the Sept. 20 memo, provided to Reuters by John Donovan, who runs the independent royaldutchshellplc.com website.he website often serves as a forum to criticise the oil major.

376*REUTERS ORIGINAL

*The New York Times

*Daily Mail Online

*CNBC

*Euronews

*The Guardian Nigeria

*FINANCE YAHOO 11 Oct 18

*MSN.com 11 Oct 2018

*FX News | Forex Updates

*World Energy News

*Enterprise Television

*Anti Corruption Digest

*Ships & Ports

*Angola Press – ANGOP

*MarketScreener by 4-traders

*Offshore Engineer

*Investing.com

*Asian Oil and Gas

*EnergyNow.com

*Premium Times

*Naija247news

*TODAY

*The Daily

MAY 2021

399* openDemocracy article dated 29 May 2021 headlined: Calls for Shell to apologise for ‘fuelling Nazi war machine’. A review of a new hardback and Kindle book by James Marriott and Terry Macalister – ‘Crude Britannia’ – reveals the extent to which the oil company played a key role in Hitler’s war effort. Photo credit reference to John Donovan in the article. “The Royal Dutch Shell Company HQ in The Hague, flying a Swastika | Image via John Donovan.” pdf

AUGUST 2021

John Donovan supplied the leaked Shell email and attachment information used in the following articles published 8/9 August 2021:

*FT: Shell weighs vaccine mandate and firing staff who resist: 8 Sept 2021

REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE, MANY PUBLISHERS

*Shell weighs COVID-19 vaccine mandate, firing staff who resist – FT:  PUBLISHED

REUTERS SYNDICATED ARTICLE, MANY PUBLISHERS

*Shell weighs ‘jab or job’ policy for employees -document: Sep 9, 2021 | 5:49 AM

*The Telegraph: Live Coronavirus latest news

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:

*Shell Weighs Mandating Covid-19 Vaccines for Workers: Sept. 9, 2021 4:40 pm ET

OCTOBER 2021

*October 2021 Channel 4 TV documentary Joe Lycett vs The Oil Giant aired at 9pm in the UK on 24 Oct 2021. Included a segment with John Donovan being interviewed by Joe Lycett.

*Trailers briefly featuring John Donovan were broadcast on multiple Channel 4 TV programmes and on Channel 4 News in the days before the documentary was broadcast on 24 October 2021. The video trailer was also posted on Instagram

Screenshot of John Donovan being interviewed car-to-car by Joe Lycett (both having a good laugh at Shell’s expense).

 

*Related coverage on the British Comedy Guide: Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back: Joe Lycett Climate Investigation: Ahead of the COP26 climate change summit, Joe Lycett takes on one of the world’s most powerful companies – Shell – as he investigates whether its eco-friendly advertising really paints the right picture of a corporation that still drills a huge amount of oil and gas. Joe meets climate experts and attempts to engage Shell in his own uniquely fearless fashion, before deciding to make his own version of their ads and tries to get his parody broadcast on national television. pdf version

*John Donovan is listed in the related British Comedy Guide Guest cast of “Joe Lycett Climate Investigation“. 

*John Donovan and his royaldutchshellplc.com website are listed on a separate page devoted to John Donovan. pdf version “John Donovan is a whistleblower. He runs the website https://www.royaldutchshellplc.com.”

*20 December 2021: Several pages in a legal exhibit filed on 20 December 2021 with a U.S. court in Texas contain references to John Donovan and several of his Shell focused websites. (Case 4:20-cv-01465 Document 22-1 Filed on 12/20/21 in TXSD). The litigation details, including the relevant exhibit, can be seen here. (Relevant article headline: “Shell gripe website sucked into US litigation between warring Shell global security spymasters”.)

JAN 2022

*Wikipedia article “Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant” downloaded 15 January 2022. Mentions “John Donovan a man who runs an anti-Shell website for whistleblowers to contribute to…”

CAN  SHELL GREEN: Article authored by Matthias Lauerer. English translation of extracts from a Forbes article published in German on 1st March 2022.

1st March 2022

Is Shell on its way to a carbon-neutral future? Will this be a reimagined world, where green hydrogen, e-mobility and decarbonization have become a reality? Or do they prefer to greenwash to perpetuate the dirty old business model on which the global economy hangs?

Speaking to Shell critic John Donovan, he said: “Shell has been forced to make drastic changes in response to pressure from climate change organizations and financial activists like Daniel S. Loeb, who wants to break up the corporation.” Also helping, he said, is the “change in jurisdiction in countries like the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, which now allows for lawsuits alleging wrongdoing in countries like Nigeria.” What Donovan, who has sharply criticized the company for years, is hopeful about now? “Shell seems to have realized that it needs to go green to fight climate change and stay in business – and not face ostracism like the tobacco companies.”

USE YOUR BROWSER TO ENLARGE FORBES MAGAZINE IMAGES BELOW

413 RECORDS UP TO THIS POINT

Added Jan 2020 – newly discovered. (24)

*Top 10 most embarrassing data breaches _ IT PRO Inspired by a notable security gaffe at BP, we give our rundown of the most embarrassing data breaches in recent memory. This one brings a wry smile to the face. Early last year, a database containing contact details of 170,000 workers of oil giant Royal Dutch Shell was emailed to campaigning groups opposed to the company’s activities. As for how the data was leaked, it was thought to be the work of a disgruntled insider a threat all businesses need to look out for. Seven non-governmental groups including human rights groups and environmental campaigners, such as Greenpeace plus anti-Shell campaigning website royaldutchshellplc.com received the database details. Published Ist April  2011

*AskWonder.com: Research on external factors (suppliers, customers, competition, environment, etc) that are influencing Royal Dutch Shell at the moment. Delivered January 30th, 2017. Link to royaldutchshellplc.com as a reference source. Backup version

*Digital.ecomagazine.com: Company News. SEpt/Oct 2013 edition. Page 60 reference to royaldutchshellplc.com

*Facebook Page @NoPetroPA Community. Reference link to royaldutchshellplc.com article. Posted 26 July 2020. Backup Link NoPetroPA – Posts _ Facebook

*Header and text extracted from Quaker Earthcare Witness website. Spring 2012 meeting.

Royal Dutch Shell                       6,000 shares valued at $400,680

(please see http://royaldutchshellplc.com/category/pollution/ )

The Friends Fiduciary printed material and website both assert that Friends Fiduciary follows environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria (please see http://socialinvesting.about.com/b/2009/06/02/socially-responsible-investing-esg-and-sustainable-investing.htm ) when selecting investments for the Consolidated Fund. We fail to see how the ESG/SRI criteria are applied if corporations such as those listed above can pass your screens. We ask you to apply the ESG/SRI screens to your portfolios with integrity. Friends nationwide are counting on you to invest in a socially responsible manner, and they may have to divest from Friends Fiduciary if you cannot assure Friends that their investments are socially responsible. pdf

*ShelltoSea.com Website: Jan 2012. Discussion on RoyalDutchShellPLC.com Blog about Shell & Roadbridge bribing Gardaí. pdf

*undated Weblio article about royaldutchshellplc.com pdf

*The Committed Activist website. Contains reference to royaldutchshellplc.com. No definite date.  pdf

*DownToEarth.com. Article about royaldutchshellplc.com and its founders. The date shown is inaccurate. pdf

Extract: Alfred Donovan became a grandfather decades before the web became ubiquitous. But the 92-year old and his son John, 62, have been a painful thorn in the side of Royal Dutch Shell for more than a decade. The pair run one of the oldest and most effective gripe sites www.royaldutchshellplc.com

*HSE Web Communities – Risk Education Network – Never Say Never Again: Published by UK Health & Safety Executive: Publication date unknown.

*ejatlas.org: Article “Shell’s toxic legacy, Curacao” containing a reference to royaldutchshellplc.com website. Undated. pdf

*CorpWatch: Publication of a Sunday Times article by Danny Fortson about the Donovan’s and their website royaldutchshellplc.com. Sunday, July 19, 2009. pdf*

*Amazon.com webpage for Shell related books authored by John Donovan. Undated.

*E-International Relations: Shell, Nigeria and the Record Price of Oil. 7 March 2008. Republished an article by John Donovan. pdf

*DataBreaches.net: Article relating to Shell database breach and royaldutchshellplc.com. pdf

*Adformatie: Google translation of an article about Shell trying to seize the royaldutchshellplc.com domain name. June 3, 2005.

Shell in the clinch about domain name

In the beginning of the internet hype, it was commonplace: claiming a domain name of a well-known company or artist.

Companies made every effort to keep their names safe on the Internet and to keep domain crackers at bay. Now Shell suddenly has to believe it.

A British army veteran has stolen the domain name royaldutchshellplc.com . Royal Dutch Shell is the name under which the Dutch-British oil concern will continue in the course of this year. The Dutch and British branches of the group will then be merged.

The action of the now 88-year-old Alfred Donovan is, according to a spokesman for Shell, the result of a business dispute. In the 1990s, the Briton carried out a promotional campaign for Shell in Great Britain and now he believes he has not received enough money for it. Shell, in turn, says it has fulfilled its obligations.

Donovan’s sympathy for Shell has not grown since then. Internet address www.royaldutchshellplc.com contains a large number of articles about the oil company and especially the problems that Shell has been dealing with recently.
For example, the issue of Shell’s oil and gas reserves is widely discussed.

In October, the oil company decided to merge Koninklijke Olie and the British Shell Transport & Trading into one company. Shortly after the merger was announced, it appeared that the domain name www.royaldutchshellplc.com had already been claimed.

In an attempt to get hold of the domain name, Shell has now started a case with the World Intellectual Property Organization, an organization in Geneva that acts as an arbitrator in such matters.

The spokesman for Shell does not want to say anything about the matter. However, www.royaldutchshellplc.com does not appear to be the only domain name that Donovan has claimed. “He seems to have a few more,” said the spokesman.

*In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Donovan himself says that he is not after money. He is only concerned with attracting as many people as possible to his site. It is not his fault that Shell has been in the news so badly recently, he says.

*DeepResource: Shell to be the World’s Largest Electricity Producer by 2030. Reference link to royaldutchshellgroup.com. 19 March 2019. pdf

*marineinsight.com: Shell Ships First Condensate Cargo From Prelude FLNG Off Western Australia. 26 March 2019. pdf

*ICANN: List of Proceedings Under Uniform Domain Name: Dispute Resolution Policy
2005-05-17 — 2005-06-03: Undated. Mentions royaldutchshellgroup.com and
royaldutchshellplc.com and contains a link to WIPO decision – Complaint dismissed.  pdf

*ShelltoSea: Article published 23 Sept 2019: Reference link to royaldutchshellplc.com and royaldutchshellgroup.com pdf

*MartinDale.com Legal Library article “Blogging in the Virtual Age: 29 May 2008. Reference link to royaldutchshellgroup.com. pdf 

Extract: In Malaysia, in June 2004, eight Royal Dutch Shell Group companies collectively obtained an Interim Injunction and Restraining Order against a Malaysian geologist and former Shell employee, Dr. John Huong.[13]

*Published letter to Shell from Friends of the Earth Netherlands. Page 18 reference link to an article published on royaldutchshellplc.com. Sent Wednesday, April 4th, 2018. pdf

*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Coalbed Methane Outreach Program: Page 92 contains a reference link to royaldutchshellplc.com. 27 July 2018. pdf

*US Renewable Energy Outlook 2019. Deloitte. Page 11. Link reference to royaldutchshellgroup.com. pdf

RECORDS FROM 2005 to JAN 2021 END

71 ARCHIVE ARTICLES FROM 1991 to 1999

*New DPP ruling: plain paper entries are ‘legal and acceptable’: Promotion & Incentives Magazine: Page 4 February 1992

*Shell faces libel threat from Don: Marketing Week 31 March 1994

*Shell struck by writ: Marketing Magazine front-page headline article 20 October 1994

*SHELL STOLE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, ALLEGES DON: Debrief News Letter November 199

*Don issues writ number four to embattled Shell: Marketing Magazine: 10 November 1994

*SHELL SHOCK: EDITORIAL BY INCENTIVE TODAY MAGAZINE: November/December 1994

*Shell fails to block agency’s legal action: Incentive Today Magazine January 1995

*Shell ‘legal block fails’ in promotions agency row: Forecourt News January 1995

*Promotion Wrangle: Forecourt Trader uncovers the background to the legal dispute between Shell (UK) Ltd and promotions company Don Marketing UK (Ltd): January 1995

*Don Marketing trade ad seeks help of dealers: Marketing Magazine 12 January 1995

*Marketing Week News 20 January 1995

*Irate Don hits Shell investors: Marketing Week 27 January 1995

*DON MARKETING STEPS-UP ITS ATTACK ON SHELL: Debrief February 1995

*Pressure group to target Shell: Forecourt Trader February 1995

*‘Shell knew of flaws in Make Money’: Forecourt News front page article February 1995

*Marketing Week News 24 February 1995

*Shell seeks guarantee over costs in Don case: Marketing Week 24 March 1995

*Shell promotions dispute intensifies: Promotions & Incentives April 1995

*Shell: ‘claim will fail’: Incentive Today April 1995

*Shell row steps up a gear: Forecourt News April 1995

*STOP PRESS: DON MARKETING FOUNDER ALFRED DONOVAN HAS ISSUED A LIBEL WRIT: Marketing Magazine 20 April 1995

*Shell faces libel action as Don’s founder issues writ: Marketing Week 21 April 1995

*Shell speaks out over Don: Forecourt Trader April 1995

*Donovan issues Shell libel writ: Promotions & Incentive Magazine May 1995

*Briefly Column: Forecourt News May 1995

*STOP PRESS: Shell has confirmed that its senior management will hold talks with Don Marketing: Marketing Magazine 25 May 1995

*Don takes its payment fight to Shell’s agm: Marketing Week 26 May 1995

*Marketing Week News: John Donovan, of sales promotion agency Don Marketing…: ( Will have a team picketing Shell’s London headquarters for four days a week”): 2 June 1995

*DAVID DON AND GOLIATH SHELL: EPISODE 3,651: Debrief Newsletter Page 63, June 1995

*LUCKY NUMBERS: Incentive Today: July/August 1995

John Donovan, managing director of Don Marketing, which produces a range of scratch-card games for on-pack promotions, also believes that the National Lottery has helped increase the popularity of scratch cards. But printer’s errors are a nightmare for scratch card producers, he admits. One of the horror stories he relates is when the Daily Mirror published an incorrect combi­nation of ‘called numbers’ for its bingo-type game and left thousands of readers thinking they had won the game.

Donovan is more open than Venters about the tricks that the public get up to in order to cheat in the games. This even includes children tampering with cards which are then sometimes unwittingly sent in by parents. Don Marketing also now insists on videoing the opening of all prize claims so that players cannot dispute the validity of the games.

With Donovan quoting a cost of 4p per card to run a scratch card promotion, it is hardly surprising that everyone from oil. companies to brewers is rushing to take part. And Donovan says his company can deliver scratch cards to any promotional agency with as little as two months’ notice. He guarantees security, even to the extent of having cards printed in the United States by printers Dittler Brothers, who are specialists in printing scratch and lottery tickets and even have armed guards securing their plant.

*Shell UK and Don Marketing: Marketing Week 8 September 1995

*Debrief Newsletter: October 1995

*Shell faces High Court battle over Smart Card: Marketing Week front page cover story 16 April 1998

*Shell card in legal row: Financial Mail on Sunday 19 April 1998

*Don Marketing booking full-page ads to alert Shell shareholders to its dispute with Shell: Marketing Magazine 23 April 1998

*High Court papers unveil ‘secret’ Shell writ losses: Marketing Week 23 April 1998

*Shell reveals plans for challenging Smart writ: Marketing Week 30 April 1998

*Donovan brings new Shell writ “this time for libel”: Marketing Magazine 30 April 1998

*Shell stands firm on Smart charges: Promotions & Incentives May 1998

*Don’s Smart writ: Forecourt Trader May 1998

*New clash for Don Marketing and Shell: Incentive Today Magazine May 1998

*ASA dragged into Shell UK Smart battle: Marketing Week Magazine 7 May 1998

*Shell broadens base: Marketing Magazine 7 May 1998

*Shell in legal row: Sales Promotion Magazine May 1998

*Don Marketing posts warning about Shell: Marketing Week Magazine 28 May 1998

*Shell Smart copyright battle gets nastier: Loyalty Magazine May/June 1998

*Shell faces new threat to Smart card scheme: Marketing Week 21 May 1998

*Shell: Don is more than ‘disgruntled’: Marketing Week LETTERS 21 May 1998

*Safe Ideas: June 1998

*Donovan’s beef with Shell online: Daily Telegraph 11 June 1998

*Don Claims first round in Shell libel action: Marketing Week 30 July 1998

*“McShell” case continues: Loyalty Magazine August 1998

*On cyberpicket lines: London Evening Standard 28 September 1998 (DON’T GET MAD GET EVEN)

*Shell smacked over libel action: Incentive Today Magazine September 1998

*Judge Shell by actions not words: Marketing Week 25 February 1999

*Shell loyalty row continues: Incentive Today June 1999

*Ideas man sues Shell: The Times 16 June 1999

*Donovan takes Smart case against Shell to court: Sunday Business 6 June 1999

*Promotions expert claims Shell stole his Smart card idea: THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 6 June 1999

*Shell faces court battle on its Smart scheme: Marketing Magazine 10 June 1999

*Oil giant stole my promotion idea, alleges businessman: East Anglian Daily Times 16 June 1999

*INTO BATTLE WITH SHELL: Bury Free Press 18 June 1999

*SHELL IN HIGH COURT SUIT OVER SMARTCARD SCHEME: Debrief, July 1999

*Don ends legal proceedings against Shell UK: Marketing Week 8 July 1999

*Shell has settled out of court with John Donovan…: Marketing Magazine STOP PRESS Column 28 July 1999

*Shell claim is settled: Bury Free Press 9 July 1999

*Stalemate for marketing firm’s ‘stolen’ idea claim: East Anglian Daily Times 7 July 1999

*Shell action abandoned: Forecourt Trader August 1999

*Don and Shell end Smart row: Incentive Today July-August 1999

*SPEAK OUT!: West Pasco Press Newspaper, Page 2: November 1999. Alfred Donovan interviewed for comment in Florida.

23 NEWS MEDIA ARTICLES FROM THE TEN YEAR PERIOD WHEN WE WERE FRIENDS WITH SHELL

*Rubbing away to goodwill: Incentive Marketing and Sales Promotion, November 1983

*Fast flowing Don: Marketing Magazine 16 February 1984

*Shell is back making money: Incentive Marketing and Sales Promotion March 1984

*The Finale: Interview with Shell Manager Ken Danson: Shell In-house Magazine: March? 1984

*Anatomy of a Shell winner: Campaign Magazine 27 April 1984

*The play’s the thing: Marketing Magazine 31 May 1984

*Marketing Magazine Sales Promotion Survey 6 September 1984

*Why games became big business: Campaign Magazine 14 September 1984

*Cerebral promotion for drivers: Shell Mastermind: Sept 1984

*“Shell starts up a new promotion” (Shell Make Merry) Marketing Week 2 November 1984 (POS DISPLAY)

*Don Marketing launches dual forecourt attack: Campaign Magazine 2 November 1984

*Shell offers ‘lucky deal’: Marketing Magazine 2 May 1985

*Old favourites that never die: Campaign Magazine 14 June 1985

*Don does it again, this time with Bruce: Promotions & Incentives Magazine: June 1985

*It’s game, set and match as forecourts fight it out to the finish: Campaign Magazine 27 September 1985

*LEARNING THE RIGHT RULES OF THE GAME: Marketing Week Magazine 11 October 1985

*John Chambers has left Don Marketing and game cards to set up a new sales promotion operation for the world’s sixth largest ad agency: Promotions & Incentive Magazine: February 1986

*Don plans huge bingo promotion: Marketing Week 7 Feb 1986

*Marketing Magazine article “Games people play” involving John Donovan: 18 Sept 1986 

*Shell launches Star Trek scratchcard game: Sales Promotion Magazine March 1991

*Will Shell’s intergalactic experiment pay off?: Cover story plus coverage on 7 pages with extensive colour piks: Promotions & Incentives Magazine July-August 1991

*Shell Star Trek Promotion: Promotions & Incentives Magazine February 1992

*UP TO SCRATCH: PROMOTIONS & INCENTIVES MAGAZINE: JUNE 1993

413+24+71+23=531

LIST ENDS

ASSORTED LINKS TO ITEMS OF INTEREST

FT search results for FT articles relating to royaldutchshellplc.com as of 10 Sept 2016

FT search results for FT articles relating to royaldutchshellplc.com as of 10 Sept 2016 – PDF version

TV, Radio, Newspaper and Magazine Coverage, relating to the Website RoyalDutchShellPlc.com

THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER ONLINE: Public Profile of John Donovan

Some Don Marketing staff – Mary, Anita, Valerie and Lynne with Bernie Winters and his original St Bernard dog, Schnorbitz.

Dennis Lambert (Don Marketing), Bernie Winters and his original St Bernard dog, Schnorbitz. Roger Sotherton (Don Marketing) right.

Dennis Lambert (Don Marketing), Bernie Winters (centre) and his original St Bernard dog, Schnorbitz. Roger Sotherton (Don Marketing) on the right.

John Donovan and John Chambers, Chairman and CEO of Don Marketing in 1984 when the Shell Mastermind promotional game format, devised by DM, was in progress.

John Donovan of Don Marketing, Roy Rochford of Rochford-Thompson Security Printers and Roger Sotherton, Marketing Director of Don Marketing.

Roger Sotherton (above) was a business partner of John Donovan and a key director of the promotional games company Don Marketing throughout the years in the 1980s and 1990s when it devised a host of promotional games for Royal Dutch Shell, including the award-winning game, “Make Money”.

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.

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