Shell Australia leadership

Country Chair and EVP Integrated Gas Australia

Cecile became Country Chair in 2023 and is also Executive Vice President Integrated Gas Australia. She brings more than 25 years of international experience in LNG, oil and gas project development and operations and mergers and acquisitions. Previously Cecile was CEO of Arrow Energy, Shell’s joint venture with PetroChina, since 2020. She has also held senior commercial leadership roles at Shell and BG Group prior to its acquisition, including VP Commercial & New Business Development for Shell Australia and Growth Director with BG Group.

Before joining Shell and BG Group, Cecile was a corporate partner at the leading international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills in London for nine years. Her corporate energy practice focused on complex cross-border oil, gas and LNG project development, high-value mergers and acquisition transactions in the energy and mining sectors and long-term sales arrangements for oil, gas and LNG. Cecile has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Law from The University of Queensland.

VP Prelude/Crux

Brendan became the Vice President for Prelude/Crux in November 2022. He has over 30 years of technical, operational and management experience in Shell. Brendan started his Shell career at the Geelong Refinery in Victoria in 1992. Since then, he has held a variety of roles in Australia, the UK, the Netherlands and Singapore in Downstream strategy, HSSE management, refinery Production Management, hydroprocess engineering and process and environmental engineering.

Brendan’s last role before returning to Australia was Production Manager at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore, located on Pulau Bukom. He brings a wealth of asset management, HSSE and leadership expertise to his role with us here in the Australia portfolio. Brendan holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) from The University of Melbourne.

VP Finance LNG, Australia

David’s current role is VP Finance LNG, Australia. He has more than 20 years of experience across a broad range of businesses and a track record of accomplishment in complex transactions, mergers and acquisitions, contract management and international arbitration. Prior to his current role, David has served as VP Finance of Shell Energy America’s gas and power trading business and before this he was Finance Director for Shell Australia’s East operating businesses, following Shell’s acquisition of BG Group. David has also held the role of Finance Director of BG Group Australia businesses where he was responsible for all aspects of finance, contract tender board, IT and people logistic services.

Before joining BG Group, David spent 13 years at BHP working across a variety of finance and commercial roles across sectors including iron ore, oil and gas, steel manufacture and IT in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from Queensland University of Technology and is a Fellow of CPA Australia.

VP Human Resources, Australia

Drew became VP HR Australia in January 2020. He’s held executive roles in the energy and professional services sectors in Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East.

Drew started his career with the Royal Marines where he gained foundational leadership experience in challenging environments, before pursuing a career in human resources, where his experience has spanned organisational change, employee and industrial relations, talent development, Diversity and Inclusion, business growth and transformation. Drew has a MA (Hons) in English Literature, 2.1 from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc Human Resource Management from the University of London.

VP Non-Operated Ventures Australia

Jen is the Vice President Non-Operated Ventures Australia and has been responsible for managing Shell’s interests in the Gorgon and North-West Shelf joint ventures since 2024. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry, covering electricity, gas and LNG project development, operations and trading, with a focus on commercial and joint venture management and business development.

Prior to her roles in Non-Operated Ventures, Jen was the Trading & Supply Commercial Manager for Shell Energy Australia, where she managed the core interface between global Shell Trading and the LNG Assets across Australia. She started her career as an analyst in the electricity sector, before joining Queensland Gas Company in 2007 and subsequently BG Group. Jen has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Mathematics) and Bachelor of Information Technology from Queensland University of Technology.

Head of Legal Australia and Associate General Counsel Integrated Gas, Australia

Judith became Head of Legal Australia and Associate General Counsel Integrated Gas Australia in June 2023, to which she brings extensive leadership and global professional experience. Since joining Shell in 2005, she has held roles providing senior legal support to the Gas & Power, Upstream and Integrated Gas businesses throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and leadership roles including Head of Legal, Qatar, before returning to Australia in 2021.

Judith’s last role was Associate General Counsel for Shell Energy Asia and Australia Trading & Supply. Prior to joining Shell, Judith worked in top tier law firms in Melbourne and Dubai.

VP QGC, Australia

Krishna became VP QGC in July 2024. He brings more than 20 years energy industry experience to his role. In 2004, Krishna joined the energy industry as a well completion engineer in the UK and has worked in various onshore and offshore roles in Asia and Europe. He joined BG Group in 2009 and had worked various in projects across UK, Egypt, Bolivia and India.

Krishna joined the Shell QGC business in 2013 and has held various technical and leadership positions in the business. Previously, Krishna was General Manager Upstream for Shell’s QGC business. He holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and Masters in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh.

Head of Corporate Relations, Australia

Michelle became Head of Corporate Relations Australia in October 2021, bringing more than 25 years of experience in public affairs, government relations, investor relations, strategy and communications.

Before this, she was the Executive General Manager for Corporate Services at Shell Energy Australia (formerly ERM Power), managing HR, regulatory affairs, marketing, and corporate communications. Prior to joining Shell, Michelle was Executive Manager for Corporate Affairs, Strategy, and Investor Relations at Suncorp. She holds a Bachelor of Business Communications from QUT and a Postgraduate Degree in Management from Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

VP Commercial, Australia

Samantha Buchanan became Vice President for Commercial, Australia in March 2025. She brings over 25 years of international experience in the energy industry and has built extensive expertise across the business value chain, including new country entry, economic analysis, deal structuring and execution, joint venture management and strategy, asset performance and people management, and portfolio planning and execution.

Samantha has delivered business outcomes in various countries, including Australia, US, UK, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iraq and China. Throughout her career, she has worked for companies including Fortescue Hydrogen Systems, BP, KPMG and Woodside. Samantha holds a bachelor’s degree in European Politics & Legislative Studies, from the University of Hull.

Shell Energy Australia Chief Executive Officer

Tony was appointed CEO of Shell Energy Australia in January 2024, following two years as CEO of Shell Energy Retail Europe. Prior to joining Shell, Tony served for 10 years on the management board of SSE plc, a vertically integrated energy business in the UK, focused on building and operating renewable generation, transmission and distribution networks, trading, energy solutions and retail. He has also been the managing director of a number of energy retail and solutions businesses, including several within the OVO Energy Group.

Tony has worked for the UK’s Health Security Agency on the response to COVID-19, served on boards of several companies in the clean tech and energy space as a non-executive director and as a management consultant at PwC.

Vice President Arrow Governance

Nilofar Shadmaan is Vice President, Arrow, responsible for governance of Shell’s 50% interest in Arrow Energy. She oversees the technical, commercial and strategic dimensions of the investment and serves as a Director on the Arrow Energy Board. 

Nilofar has over 25 years of experience across government, policy, and the energy industry. She began her career in the Australian Federal Public Service, holding senior roles in resources and energy, including senior advisory positions with both Labor and Liberal Federal Resources Ministers.  

She joined Shell in 2014 as Senior Policy Adviser, leading responses on domestic gas, climate, and energy policy. She later headed Government Relations in Australia before moving to The Hague, where she held global leadership roles in planning and operations within Shell’s Corporate Relations function. 

Nilofar holds a Bachelor of Economics from Charles Sturt University, a Master of Science in Resource and Energy Management from University College London, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.