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Wael Sawan

b. 1974

Lebanese Canadian chief executive

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About Wael Sawan

Born 1974. Wael Sawan is a Lebanese and Canadian business executive.

Wael Sawan (Arabic: وائل صوان; born 1974) is a Lebanese-Canadian business executive, and the CEO of Shell plc since January 2023.

Early life and education Sawan was born in Beirut in 1974. He grew up in Dubai, and earned a master's degree in chemical engineering from McGill University in Canada.

He has dual Lebanese and Canadian nationality.

Career Sawan joined Shell in 1997 as an engineer with Petroleum Development Oman . He later served as Managing Director and Chairman of Qatar Shell, where he oversaw Shell's business in Qatar, including its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Pearl Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) operations. He rose to become head of Shell's integrated gas and renewables division, and succeeded Ben van Beurden as CEO on 1 January 2023.

Sawan received a pay packet of £7.9 million ($10.1 million) for 2023, having become chief executive at the start of 2023 on an annual salary of £1.4 million (not including other compensation). In 2025, Sawan's total compensation from Shell was £13.8 million, an increase of 60% from the £8.6 million he received in 2024.

Under Sawan, Shell has focused on share buybacks with a mission of narrowing the gap with US-domiciled energy majors. Shell is currently spending $3.5 billion a quarter on buybacks. Buybacks have run at $3 billion or more for 14 quarters in a row.

On 3 august 2026, Sawan announced a retreat from renewable energies for Shell and the sale of onshore renewable energy operations to TotalEnergies.

Personal life Sawan is married to Nicole, and they have three sons.

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Important facts

Born
1974, Beirut
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
McGill University, Harvard Business School
Positions held
Shell chief executive

People in Wael Sawan's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Wael Sawan's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Wael Sawan?

Lebanese Canadian chief executive

When was Wael Sawan born?

Wael Sawan was born in 1974 in Beirut.

What is Wael Sawan's occupation?

Wael Sawan is a business executive.

What nationality is Wael Sawan?

Wael Sawan is Lebanese and Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Wael Sawan

· Wikidata: Q113988833

· DBpedia: Wael Sawan

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wael Sawan. https://biography.guide/wael-sawan/

MLA: "Wael Sawan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wael-sawan/.

Chicago: "Wael Sawan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wael-sawan/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-25 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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