Ben Van Beurden, born in the Netherlands on April 23, 1958 (age 66), is the former Chief Executive Officer of Shell plc, one of the world’s most prominent oil and gas companies. He served as CEO for ten years and worked for the company for nearly four decades.
Following a long and varied career in the sector, Van Beurden stepped down from his position. Over the years, he worked in multiple countries, and his extensive experience helped pave the way to the executive leadership role, where his focus was on making the company more sustainable.
Van Beurden’s studies and early work at Shell
After completing his primary and secondary education, Van Beurden earned a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Delft University of Technology, the largest public technical university in the Netherlands.
Unlike many CEOs, Van Beurden began working at Shell early in his career without having held prior jobs elsewhere. Following his studies at Delft, he joined the petroleum company and started his professional journey. Naturally, his initial roles were in chemical engineering.
He started in operations, then moved into the commercial side, working intensively with liquefied natural gas (LNG), where he spent ten years, and also worked with chemical products. By the early 2000s, his name held more weight within the company, and from 2002 to 2004 he served as executive assistant to the Vice Chairman of Shell.
Continuing his rise, in 2005, at age 47, Van Beurden was appointed Vice President of Manufacturing Excellence, responsible for logistics and high-performance chemical product operations, with an emphasis on quality.
A year later, he was again named VP of Excellence, this time more focused on chemicals and based in London. He was also selected as a member of the International Council of Chemical Associations and joined the European Council.
Shell’s Chief Executive Officer
A year before being appointed CEO, Van Beurden joined Shell’s Executive Committee—the company’s leadership circle. In previous years, he had also worked in Malaysia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, among other countries.
Finally, after a long journey, he was appointed CEO of Shell plc in 2014—an outstanding milestone in his career. One of his major strengths as CEO was his success in the chemicals division, which generated significant revenue for the company, accounting for nearly 5% of global earnings.
His role as CEO came with a sizable compensation package. Another highlight of his leadership was Shell’s operations in liquefied natural gas, a critical area for oil and gas companies.
In 2015, one of Van Beurden’s most notable moves was the acquisition of a rival company during a severe oil market downturn. He also paid close attention to energy consumption and promoted a shift from fossil fuels toward cleaner energy alternatives.
It’s important to note that oil companies face heavy scrutiny for their environmental impact, given the high CO2 emissions from fossil fuels like oil and gas.
Stepping down as CEO
In 2023, it was announced that Van Beurden would step down from Shell. After 39 years with the company, including nine as CEO, he left the role, though he remained as an advisor to the Executive Committee until the end of 2023.
Following his departure from Shell plc, Van Beurden joined the investment firm KKR, where he now serves as an advisor on global climate strategy. The firm is heavily involved in the transition to cleaner and more efficient energy, an area in which Van Beurden had focused during his final years at Shell.
KKR, according to U.S. news outlets, has committed $15 billion toward energy innovation, battery systems, and hydrogen technology. While this is a new role for Van Beurden, it aligns closely with his previous responsibilities in the oil and gas sector.
His invitation to join KKR reflects his performance at Shell, spanning from chemical product management to executive leadership and strategic planning on the Executive Committee.