1 Year : I ??Shell

Do you know the official name of the 'shell' in the Shell logo? I did not, and I was interested to learn that it is a 'pecten', a word derived from the Latin term for 'comb'. It has been in our logo since 1904 and reflects the origins of Shell Transport and Trading Company, that once upon a time imported seashells from the Far East.

But to me, Shell pecten will forever resemble a heart.

Over the past year, I've been adapting to my new industry as part of my own 'energy transition'. I've learned about the company I joined, how it operates, how it ebbs and flows, and, most importantly, the people who power everything we do.

I've learnt that the heart of Shell can be found in many places…

• With our customers - the passion I see in our marketing and commercial teams is infectious.
• At the assets - the sophisticated scientific processes that are used to produce the energy and products to help us with our daily lives are truly awesome.?
• Through international connections made by trading - we can trace a part of our proud heritage as a transport company.

The heart is especially felt in the people who make things happen, work to keep everyone safe, and innovate to deliver energy solutions for the future.

Any new role, let alone a whole new industry, requires approaching it with a clear head and an open heart. I feel like I've done that, and Shell opened itself up to me in return. Like in any relationship, there have been ups and downs, frustrations and triumphs. There is still much to simplify and think through as we grapple with our vision for the future, lay down plans to achieve that vision and keep to the discipline required of us.

I joined a company in the process of adjusting to its new CEO and the direction set by Wael. That adjustment is still happening, but I'm sure it will make us strong, prosperous and resilient. As humans, we both crave change and struggle with it. One of my deep beliefs is that to make any change successful, it is our collective responsibility to not only focus on the outcomes but also look at the system as a whole and try to tune up the parts that no longer work in a beneficial way.?

While there is still a lot of change and uncertainty, all we can do is focus on the circle of our control and trust our colleagues to deliver on their commitments. It requires true grit, having a point of view but holding it lightly, and cognitive flexibility to change our minds if new facts come to light. One must have the endurance of a marathon runner and the mindset of a Buddhist monk to make things happen in a big organisation.

I sincerely hope that in one short year, some of my ideas and external experience have helped take our organisation to the next level of performance, and can't wait to see what the future will bring!