Jessica Uhl will succeed the retiring Simon Henry as chief financial officer of Royal Dutch Shell PLC. The move is effective Mar. 9.
Based in the Netherlands, she’ll serve as an executive director of the company and a member of its executive committee. She currently is executive vice-president, finance for the firm’s integrated gas business.
Uhl joined Shell in 2004 and has held finance leadership roles based in Europe and the US in the firm’s upstream, integrated gas, and downstream businesses, as well as in projects and technology and corporate headquarters.
Previous roles included executive vice-president, finance for upstream Americas; vice-president, finance for upstream Americas unconventionals; vice-president, controller for upstream and projects and technology; vice-president, finance for the global lubricants business; and head of external reporting.
Prior to joining Shell, she worked for Enron Corp. in Houston and Panama from 1997 to 2003 and Citibank in San Francisco from 1990 to 96.
Henry has been with Shell for 34 years, serving as chief financial officer since May 2009, where he’s been responsible for strategy, planning, and information technology, as well as the company’s financial activities. He also is regional executive director for Asia-Pacific with specific oversight of new business development in China.
He was chief financial officer for exploration and production from 2004 to 2009, and was head of group investor relations from 2001 to 2004. Prior to those roles, he held various finance posts including finance manager of marketing in Egypt, controller for the upstream business in Egypt, oil products finance adviser for Asia-Pacific, finance director for the Mekong cluster, and general manager, finance for the southeast Asian retail business.
“The board is grateful to Simon for strengthening capital management and the balance sheet such as to allow the acquisition of BG [Group PLC] and executing that deal,” commented Charles Holliday, Shell chairman. “His leadership in integrating the two companies and in reorienting our strategy leaves us a financially stronger company.”