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    1. Home
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    3. >Shell CEO Wael Sawan's pay jumps 60% to $19 million for 2025 -annual report
    Finance

    Shell CEO wael sawan's pay jumps 60% to $19 million for 2025 -annual report

    Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®

    Posted on March 12, 2026

    2 min read

    Last updated: March 12, 2026

    Shell CEO Wael Sawan's pay jumps 60% to $19 million for 2025 -annual report - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
    Tags:FinanceBankingMarkets

    Quick Summary

    Shell CEO Wael Sawan’s pay rises 60% to £13.8 m ($18.5 m) for 2025, as Shell, despite a more than 20% drop in adjusted earnings to $18.5 bn, maintains its aggressive $3.5 bn quarterly share buyback strategy.

    Shell board proposes raising CEO pay package

    Shell Board's Proposal to Increase CEO Compensation

    Shareholder Vote on CEO Pay Package

    LONDON, March 12 (Reuters) - Shell's board will ask shareholders to increase the maximum pay package for the CEO at its May 19 annual meeting to align incentives with pay at peers active in similar geographies and industries, Shell's annual report showed.

    Details of CEO Wael Sawan's Compensation

    Comparison of 2025 and Previous Year

    CEO Wael Sawan's pay package was 13.8 million pounds ($18.47 million) for 2025 compared with 8.6 million pounds in the previous year, the report showed on Thursday, reflecting the first time he could tap the full CEO policy as part of a three-year cycle after taking the helm in 2023, according to a Shell spokesperson.

    Factors Contributing to the Pay Increase

    The rise was also due to Shell's total shareholder returns outpacing peers in recent years.

    Proposed Changes to CEO Pay Structure

    Performance Share Awards Adjustment

    For the next pay cycle, the board suggests increasing CEO pay by raising the maximum level of performance share awards by half to 450% of salary.

    Pay Benchmarking and Market Position

    "The proposed quantum change moves the CEO's total pay from around 25th percentile to just below median of the updated pay benchmarking group," the report said.

    Company Performance and Shareholder Returns

    Annual Profit and Shareholder Distributions

    Shell's annual profit of around $18.5 billion last year was more than a fifth below 2024's amid weaker oil prices and trading and chemicals results, but it kept the pace of its bumper share buyback programme and dividends. Shareholder distributions over a three-year remuneration cycle underpin Sawan's level of pay.

    Impact of Fatal Accidents on Total Pay

    Total pay would have been higher without four fatal accidents in Argentina, Malaysia and Britain in the past year, the report said.

    Reporting Credits

    (Reporting by Shadia Nasralla, Editing by Louise Heavens)

    References

    • Share buybacks | Shell Global
    • Shell to hand investors bigger payouts despite continued fall in profits | Shell | The Guardian
    • London, February 5, 2026 Shell plc Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan
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    Table of Contents

    • Shell Board's Proposal to Increase CEO Compensation
    • Shareholder Vote on CEO Pay Package
    • Details of CEO Wael Sawan's Compensation
    • Comparison of 2025 and Previous Year
    • Factors Contributing to the Pay Increase
    • Proposed Changes to CEO Pay Structure
    • Performance Share Awards Adjustment
    • Pay Benchmarking and Market Position
    • Company Performance and Shareholder Returns

    Key Takeaways

    • •Wael Sawan’s total remuneration jumps from £8.6 m to £13.8 m in 2025, a 60 % increase driven by a large long‑term incentive award (shell.com).
    • •Shell’s adjusted earnings for 2025 fell roughly 22 % to $18.5 bn, weighed down by weaker oil prices and chemical market challenges (theguardian.com).
    • •Despite weaker profits, Shell sustained its shareholder returns—raising dividends by 4 % and launching a $3.5 bn buyback, marking the 17th consecutive quarter of buybacks of at least $3 bn (shell.com)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Shell CEO Wael Sawan's pay jumps 60% to $19 million for 2025 -annual report

    1How much did Shell CEO Wael Sawan earn in 2025?

    Wael Sawan earned 13.8 million pounds ($18.47 million) as Shell CEO in 2025, according to the company's annual report.

    2How does Wael Sawan's 2025 pay compare to the previous year?

    Wael Sawan's pay increased by 60% from 8.6 million pounds in the previous year to 13.8 million pounds in 2025.

    3What was Shell’s annual profit last year?

    Shell’s annual profit was around $18.5 billion last year, more than 20% below the figure for 2024.

    4Did Shell continue its share buyback programme?

    Yes, Shell maintained the pace of its share buyback programme despite lower profits.

  • Annual Profit and Shareholder Distributions
  • Impact of Fatal Accidents on Total Pay
  • Reporting Credits
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