Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Peter Voseris a Swiss businessman who was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Royal Dutch Shell PLC (2009â13).
Voser studied business administration at the University of Applied Sciences, ZĂŒrich, and took a job with Shell in 1982. He rose through the ranks with posts in Europe and South America, and in 2001 he was named chief financial officer (CFO) of Shellâs Global Oil Products Business. When a rival executive was appointed Shellâs CFO in 2002, Voser resigned to join Switzerlandâs Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) Group, but two years later his rival was out, and Voser was back at Shell as CFO. He soon issued a companywide memo in which he claimed that Shellâs costs were too high, its leadership structure too complex, and its culture âtoo consensus-oriented.â
By the time Voser became CEO in 2009, Shell had endured six years of declining output. He attempted a financial balancing act: cutting costs while stepping up investment levels for new production ventures. To this end, he launched a reorganization meant to break up Shellâs corporate âfiefdoms,â merging various units and cutting some 5,000 jobs. He also led Shell to sell off many of its noncentral businesses and place new bets across the globe, including partnerships with Russiaâs OAO Gazprom and Chinaâs CNPC and big-ticket investments in Canada. Under Voserâs direction, Shell also began investing in various exploration and production projects at a time when declining oil and gas prices were reducing profits throughout the energy sector. Voser justified his strategy by estimating that energy demand would double over the next 40 years. In 2013 he stepped down as chairman.
Two years later Voser returned to ABB as chairman of its board of directors, and in 2019â20 he also served as CEO.
