Shell Plc's new CEO Wael Sawan: Here are some facts on the new boss

Shell named Wael Sawan, head of its integrated gas and renewables division, as the group's chief executive officer, replacing Ben van Beurden

Shell named Wael Sawan, head of its integrated gas and renewables division, on Thursday as the group's chief executive officer, replacing Ben van Beurden, with the energy major at the cusp of a transition to cleaner energy.

Sawan, 48, oversees Shell's growth into low carbon energies, as well as its giant gas business. He was seen as the front-runner to succeed van Beurden, Reuters reported earlier this month, and will inherit one of the industry's most ambitious green targets.

Here are some facts on the new boss:

* Born in 1974, Sawan has been heading Shell's integrated gas, renewables and energy solutions division since November 2021

* A Canadian citizen of Lebanese origin, Sawan is an alumni of Harvard Business School and completed his engineering from Canada's McGill University

* Sawan joined Shell in 1997 and has been a member of the group's executive committee for three years now * Before taking up his current role, Sawan was director of Shell's upstream business where he oversaw the divestment of the Permian business and decision to exit onshore Nigeria 
 

* Sawan also had stints with Shell's deepwater and Qatar operations