A new managing director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr Osagie Okunbor, has assumed office succeeding Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, who retired on Saturday after 36 years of service.
Osagie’s appointment had been announced in January while he was serving as a senior advisor in Shell’s Upstream International Operated business in The Hague, Netherlands.
The new Shell helmsman, who is also assuming the role of the country chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, brings over 28 years of industry experience and expertise to his new role.
“I’m delighted at the opportunity to build on the progress we have made over the years. Shell continues to be a highly valued partner for progress in Nigeria and I’m looking forward to exploring more channels for fruitful collaboration with our stakeholders,” Osagie said as he took over from his predecessor.
Okunbor is the third Nigerian MD of the SPDC and country chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, in a row. Mr Basil Omiyi assumed office as the managing director of the SPDC in 2004, and also became country chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria in 2008, the first Nigerian to hold both positions.
A graduate of Business Administration from the University of Benin, Okunbor is an accomplished professional who has worked in Nigeria, the UK, Brunei and until now, the Netherlands. His previous assignments included vice president, Human Resources for Shell’s Upstream Business in Sub-Saharan Africa and vice president, Infrastructure and Logistics Shell Nigeria. He is currently the senior advisor in Shell’s Upstream International Operated business, The Hague, Netherlands, from where his expected to return to Port Harcourt to take up his new role.
Commenting on the appointment, the vice president Nigeria and Gabon, Shell Upstream, Mr Markus Droll, said, “We are delighted to see another Nigerian at the helm of affairs in Shell Nigeria.
Mr Sunmonu worked very hard over these years – managing production and setting a new agenda in dealing with communities, government and other key stakeholders. We’re confident that Osagie will consolidate and build on the progress we have made in the past years.”
Source : Leadership