Shell’s CEO Gets a Big Pay Boost in 2018
In 2018, Shell’s chief executive Ben Van Beurden saw his salary skyrocket by a whopping 126%, jumping from £12.8 million to a cool £17 million. With oil prices on a clear upward trajectory, profits were flying off the charts, and the boss’s paycheck reflected that surge.
Financial Performance & Cost‑Cutting
- Underlying earnings rose a massive 36% to £16.3 billion.
- Shell cut costs like a well‑aimed cleaver and sold off non‑core assets to keep the cash flow humming.
- Higher oil prices put the pound in place—backed by actual barrels, not just hoopla.
Comparing Pay to the FTSE 30
Shell dug into the numbers and compared its CEO‑to‑salary ratio against other FTSE 30 giants. Using each company’s disclosed employee counts and total wages, Shell found that its ratio matches the general trend among peers.
Yet the firm warned that cross‑industry comparisons can be tricky—after all, a petrol giant’s metrics are a lot different from those of a shipping conglomerate.
Wrap‑up (and a pinch of humour)
All things considered, Shell’s combo of cost cuts, asset sales, and a hefty oil price boost gave Ben Van Beurden a hefty pay rise—and no doubt a ticket to a celebratory dinner where he could finally afford a tux. Cheers to that!
