Finance
Shell downstream boss Vigeveno steps down
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 23, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 23, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
Shell's downstream head Huibert Vigeveno steps down, Machteld de Haan to take over. Andrew Smith joins executive committee, highlighting trading's growing role.
By Ron Bousso and Yadarisa Shabong
LONDON (Reuters) -Shell's head of downstream and renewables Huibert Vigeveno will step down after 30 years with the energy major and be replaced by insider Machteld de Haan, the company said on Thursday.
De Haan, who joined Shell in 1998 and has been executive vice president of Shell's chemicals and products business since 2023, will take on the role on April 1.
Shell also said that head of trading Andrew Smith, who previously reported directly to Vigeveno, will be appointed director and join the executive committee alongside de Haan, in a sign of the growing importance of oil and gas trading under CEO Wael Sawan.
Vigeveno had headed the refining and marketing division since 2020. In 2023 Shell added its renewable operations to the division. He was seen as a candidate to succeed CEO Ben van Beurden, who left in 2020.
(Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; editing by Janane Venkatraman and Jason Neely)
The article discusses the leadership change in Shell's downstream division, with Huibert Vigeveno stepping down and Machteld de Haan taking over.
Machteld de Haan is the new head of Shell's downstream division, succeeding Huibert Vigeveno.
Andrew Smith, head of trading, joins the executive committee, reflecting the importance of oil and gas trading.
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