Shell CEO Faces Long Haul In Bid To Pass Exxon As Top Oil Major

For the first 90 years of its existence, Shell led the industry in total shareholder returns, Van Beurden said last week. It lost that position in the late 1990s as its rivals including Exxon, Total SA and BP Plc went on a deal-making spree, while Shell was the only one of the oil majors that wasn’t involved in a large acquisition. Van Beurden now wants to return the company to the top and he’s banking on the purchase of BG to help him. 

“I want Shell to be a more relevant, a more valuable company, which means a large market capitalization; and a more valued company, which means that we are listened to and respected for what we do and we say,” Van Beurden said.

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