Shell US Names New Chief

Shell announced March 27 changes to its US leadership, including the appointment of former Maersk Oil CEO Gretchen Watkins as its executive vice president, unconventionals from July 1 2018. She will replace Greg Guidry who leaves after a 36-year career with Shell in late June.

Watkins will officially join Shell on May 1, 2018. In her new role, she will report to Shell's upstream director and be based in Houston. She will additionally from January 1 2019 assume the role of Shell Oil Company President and US Country Chair, accountable to Shell CEO Ben van Beurden; the current US country chair Bruce Culpepper is stepping down effective December 31, 2018. 

Maersk Oil announced six months ago  that Watkins would step down as its CEO once its takeover by Total became final, which Total confirmed happened March 8. She joined Maersk Oil as chief operating officer in January 2014 and was its CEO from October 2016. Prior to Maersk, she led Marathon Oil Corp's North American and international production operations. One of her final roles at Maersk Oil was heading negotiations on a fiscal deal with the Danish government for the upgrading of the offshore Tyra gas hub that handles 90% of Denmark's gas.

Banner photo above shows former Maersk CEO Gretchen Watkins at the final installation of 3rd jacket at the North Sea Culzean gas development (Photo credit for both photos:Maersk Oil)