Shell CEO said on Friday he would rather buy back more of his company's own shares than launch a takeover bid for rival oil major BP, the Financial Times reported.

"We will always look at these things, but you are also looking to see what is the alternative. Right now, buying back Shell for us continues to be absolutely the right alternative to go for," Wael Sawan told the Financial Times.

(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)