Abu Dhabi 14 June 2012 - Mr. Andrew Brown, Upstream International Director for Royal Dutch Shell, visited Abu Dhabi this week and met with a number of senior officials. The visit to Abu Dhabi follows Mr. Brown's appointment in April 2012 as Shell's global Upstream Director, a role in which he oversees all of the company's exploration and production activities across five continents. Mr. Brown's visit to Abu Dhabi reflects the importance of the Emirate for Shell. The company has been involved in Abu Dhabi for more than seventy years. 

"We are proud of the long and successful history we have had in Abu Dhabi since 1939. Shell values its partnership with the ADNOC Group of Companies and as the largest international oil company investor in new technology; we hope to continue playing a role in helping the UAE meet its energy needs," Mr. Brown said. He added that beyond technology and innovation, Shell focuses on the development of youth in the UAE as a key component of its business activities. "We want to be the employer of choice for UAE nationals and in cooperation with the government we are supporting Abu Dhabi's Economic Vision 2030 by imparting career knowledge to youth so they can take on the jobs of the future" he added.

Shell supports a number of youth initiatives in Abu Dhabi through its partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). Recently, engineering students from the HCT became the first students from Abu Dhabi to participate in the upcoming Shell Eco-Marathon event, a global student competition to develop sustainable transport solutions. Shell also provides training and support to young UAE nationals who want to start their own business through its Intilaaqah Abu Dhabi program.

Mr. Brown has a strong relationship with the Middle East region dating back to 1996 when he worked in Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). In 2000, Mr. Brown was appointed Senior Advisor for the Middle East and in 2002 he was put in charge of the development of the Pearl Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) project in Qatar, one of the largest oil and gas projects in the world. Mr. Brown then went on to serve as Shell's Executive Vice President for Qatar. During his tenure, Shell established itself as the largest foreign investor in Qatar with more than $20 billion investments.

In 2012, Mr. Brown was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) from HRH Queen Elizabeth II for his services to British-Qatari business.

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Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges.  Shell companies have operations in more than 90 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. For further information, visit www.shell.com.

Shell's presence in Abu Dhabi dates back to the year 1939 as a shareholder of Petroleum Development (Trucial Cost) Ltd. Today, Shell is a Joint Venture partner in the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) and in Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Ltd. (GASCO).

© Press Release 2012