The British multinational oil and gas company Shell has appointed the Lebanese-Canadian Wael Sawan as the next CEO of the company. He will assume his new position as of January 1st, 2023 when the current CEO Ben van Beurden is set to step down.
By appointing the 48-years-old as future CEO, Shell hopes that he will help boost the transition to greener plans.
Shell’s Chair Sir Andrew Mackenzie described Sawan as “an exceptional leader, with all the qualities needed to drive Shell safely and profitably through its next phase of transition and growth.”
Wael Sawan expressed in a statement that he is looking “forward to channeling the pioneering spirit and passion of our incredible people to rise to the immense challenges, and grasp the opportunities presented by the energy transition.”
Born in Lebanon, Sawan grew up in Dubai. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from McGill University in Montreal and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
He was the Director of Shell Upstream Global and then the Director of Integrated Gas, Renewables, and Energy Solutions at Shell.
During his 25-year career at Shell, Sawan worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Based in The Hague, the Lebanese-Canadian has also been a member of Shell’s Executive Committee for three years.
