Speculation about who would succeed Ben van Beurden as Shell’s chief executive was put to rest last week when Wael Sawan emerged victorious from a handful of candidates.

Sawan, currently the supermajor’s director of integrated gas, renewables and energy solutions, will take the top position at the end of the year.

He will be stepping into the role at a critical time for the company, which has vowed to halve its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by the year 2030 on a path to net zero emissions by 2050.