Jeroen van der Veer is one of Europe’s most respected business leaders, best known for serving as Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell and guiding the energy giant through a period of significant transformation. With a career spanning more than five decades, he has become a leading authority on leadership, corporate governance, energy, sustainability and navigating change at a global scale. Beyond Shell, he has chaired and advised some of the world's most influential organisations, making him a highly sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, geopolitics and the future of business.
Born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, Jeroen graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Delft University of Technology in 1971 before earning a Master's degree in Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam. He joined Shell in 1971 as a process design engineer. He went on to hold senior operational and leadership positions across the Netherlands, Curaçao, the United Kingdom, Africa, Canada and the United States. His progression through the organisation included Managing Director of Shell Nederland, President and CEO of Shell Chemical Company in the United States and Group Managing Director of Royal Dutch/Shell Group before becoming President of Royal Dutch Petroleum Company in 2000.
In 2004, Jeroen was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell, leading the company through one of the most significant restructuring and governance transformations in its history. Following his retirement from executive leadership in 2009, he continued to influence global business and public policy through a remarkable portfolio of board and advisory positions. These included the Chairman of ING Group, the Chairman of Philips, the Vice-Chairman and Senior Independent Director of Unilever, the Vice-Chairman of Equinor, the Vice-Chairman of the NATO Group of Experts, the Chairman of Platform Beta Techniek, and the Chair of the World Economic Forum's Chairpersons Community. He currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Royal Boskalis Westminster and Chairman of Huisman Equipment.
Jeroen's contributions have been recognised internationally. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Port Harcourt, appointed Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau by the Dutch monarchy and named an Honorary Citizen of Singapore. As a speaker, he draws on decades of experience leading multinational organisations through crises, transformation and technological change. Combining strategic insight with practical leadership lessons, he helps audiences understand how organisations can adapt, innovate and thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
