Wael Sawan created history when he took office as Shell’s first CEO of Middle East origin earlier this year. And he wants to leverage his affiliation with the region to strengthen relationships with the Middle East nations.
“My vision here is one of continued investment,” Sawan told Oil & Gas Middle East in an exclusive interview.
“And continuing to leverage my knowledge of the region and my affiliation with the region, I believe that we can not only manage risks here, but we can thrive in partnership with the governments, which is what I hope to bring to this company as we navigate the next few years,” he added.
Sawan also noted that the region’s energy industry is experiencing a well-deserved “moment in the limelight,” especially due to the long-term vision that the Middle East leaders have demonstrated.
“We think that the [Middle East] region is really progressing towards becoming not just a key player in conventional energy, but also, some of the most exciting opportunities I see when it comes to the energy transition are in the Middle East,” Sawan says.
Noting that Shell has enjoyed a solid and historic presence in the region, he goes on to add that he wants to continue strengthening relationships with Middle East nations including Oman, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq, Egypt, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
Watch the fill video interview here: