Head Of Shell On Visit

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30364, 13 February 1964, Page 7

Head Of Shell On Visit

The head of one of the biggest industrial groups in the world —Shell—Mr J. H. Loudon, will spend today in Christchurch.

As senior managing director of the Royal Dutch-Shell group of companies and chairman of the group’s committee of managing directors, Mr Loudon is in effect the head of the largest industrial corporation in Britain. Its sales are fourth only to General Motors, Standard Oil of New Jersey and Ford.

Mr Loudon, who is 58, rules more than 250,000 employees in more than 500 companies. He controls an industrial empire which produces 14 per cent, of the free world’s oil in 17 countries,, and includes 47 refineries, interests in oil companies in 76 countries and an annual income which is greater than the national- income of countries such as Switzerland and South Africa.

Shell tankers alone form by far the biggest fleet in the world with a tonnage of 10 million—four times that of the biggest shipping. . pas-

senger group, the P. and O. Line.

. The combine of Royal Dutch-Shell group is controlled by two parent companies and the British parent controls 40 per cent, but the financial headquarters of the group are in London and it is there that three times a week the managing directors meet. The British have 38 per cent of the group shares. Americans 24 percent and Dutch .16 per cent. Mr Loudon, as the senior managing - director, is reported to be international in every respect. He has a house in Holland and a flat in Grosvenor square. He speaks five languages—English,. French, Dutch, Spanish and German—and spends mote than 150 hours in the air each year. Diplomatic Famjly He comes from a Dutch diplomatic . family. His

grandfather was a governorgeneral of the Dutch East Indies, his uncle was a Foreign Minister, and he himself is a jonkheer—-a kind of Dutch baronet. His father was chairman of Royal Dutch and one of his sons is a Shell engineer. Mr Loudon grew up. in a polished international atmosphere—at a time when much of the oil business was still rough and tumble. He showed his gifts for diplomacy in Venezuela, where he went as general manager in 1944. Then followed three years later, at the age of only 41, appointment as one of the seven group managingdirectors, and the chairmanship 10 years later.

Mr Loudon will spend only the one day in Christchurch during his 10 days in NewZealand. Most of the time •will be spent at the local offices of the group.