Jeroen's Story
Working in the Fossil Fuel Industry
I joined Shell in May 2019, after 17 years in the electricity and gas industry. My motivation was very deliberate. Shell is an integrated energy company with enormous reach, capital and influence. I genuinely believed that if you want to accelerate the energy transition at scale, it is more effective to do so from within than from the outside shouting that things should change.
I initially led the global Architecture team for Projects & Technologies and Digital Innovation, at the time responsible for everything from exploration and capital projects to power, hydrogen, AI and digital innovation. I worked with outstanding leaders and architects and quickly learned how complex Shell really is as an organisation. Later, I also led the digital transformation of Shell Power, guiding the business unit through its digital journeys.
In the early years, this choice felt like the right one. We were able to make real progress, particularly in power and hydrogen, using digital innovation and change-by-design programmes. The need for an integrated digital landscape was clear, and we were able to build that. Those years were intense, complex and intellectually rewarding, and they reinforced my belief that digital and data are essential enablers of the energy transition.
When I Realised It Was Time to Leave
The turning point came after Ben van Beurden stepped down as CEO and Wael Sawan took over. Within six months, the difference was noticeable. While the message remained that Shell would continue investing in the energy transition, the reality shifted steadily towards fossil fuels and short-term shareholder value.
Over time, it became clear to me that Shell was no longer the company I had joined. Strategic leadership weakened, decisions revolved around cost cutting rather than vision, and the culture changed from collaboration to individual competition. For me, this was not just a professional issue but a personal one. My values were at stake.
During the summer of 2024, I reflected deeply. The fossil fuel industry, in the end, is a fossil. It does not make the world a better place, and I no longer wanted to add my experience and energy to that system. The question became simple: do you use your talents for a dying and polluting industry, or for building a better world? Despite the well-known “golden chains” of Shell, the answer was clear.
When Shell announced a reorganisation in early 2025, it provided a practical opportunity to leave. Mentally, the decision was not that hard. The hardest part was ensuring that the teams and colleagues I cared deeply about were also supported in their transitions. Many of them have since left and are noticeably happier.
What I’m Doing Today
Since May 2025, I have been leading the digital transformation of ANWB Energy as CIO/CTO, alongside my role as Manager Energy Sourcing & Trading. ANWB Energy is a scale-up under the umbrella of ANWB, a 140-year-old mobility organisation with 5.5 million members. Together, we have the potential to build one of the largest virtual power plants in the Netherlands, using “batteries on wheels” and smart digital solutions.
This role fits my purpose perfectly. It brings together everything I have learned over the past 30 years: digital leadership, stakeholder management, energy markets and transformation in complex environments. Here, digital and data are not abstract concepts but practical tools to move the needle quickly and at scale.
I have taken a significant salary drop, but that is irrelevant to me. I have gained something far more valuable: the ability to work every day on accelerating the energy transition in a tangible way. I am proud of the move I made, and the response from peers and former colleagues confirms that it was the right one.
Parting Reflections
Looking back, I realise that all my previous experiences were necessary to do what I am doing now. Consultancy, utilities, Shell — each chapter added something essential. I am not at the right place by coincidence; I am there because of everything that came before.
The most important lesson is to follow your purpose. If you genuinely believe fossil fuels should dominate for decades to come, then working in oil and gas may be consistent with your values. But if your heart is elsewhere and only money or security is holding you back, then you owe it to yourself to reflect and act. Life is too short to optimise only for financial reward.
In the end, the real measure is not shareholder value but whether you can look back after retirement and say you contributed to a better society. That sense of purpose and satisfaction sits far higher up the Maslow pyramid than any bonus ever will.