Shell changes senior UK leadership in global overhaul

* UK chair Sinead Lynch moves to head low-carbon fuels
* North Sea oil and gas boss Phimister also replaced

By Ron Bousso
LONDON, March 4 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell RDSa.L is
changing the senior leadership of its operations in Britain as
part of a global overhaul to cut costs and shift away from oil
and gas to renewables and power.
Under the changes, which have been announced internally,
country chair Sinead Lynch will become Shell's global head of
low-carbon fuels, a company spokeswoman said.
Lynch, who joined the Anglo-Dutch company in 2016 following
its acquisition of BG Group, will be replaced by David Bunch who
currently runs Shell's retail business across Europe and South
Africa. Bunch joined Shell in 1997.
The changes will take effect in August when Shell rolls out
project Reshape, its biggest restructuring in decades as part of
plans to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by mid-century and
build a large low-carbon and power business.
Under the overhaul, Shell will cut 9,000 jobs, or more than
10% of its workforce.
As part of the management changes, Steve Phimister, head of
Shell's oil and gas operation in the North Sea since 2017, will
be replaced by Simon Roddy, currently deputy managing director
at Shell's Nigerian onshore oil and gas joint venture SPDC.
Phimister's new role in the company has yet to be announced.
Shell has gradually reduced its oil and gas operations and
refining business in recent years but Britain remains an
important market. The North Sea will remain one of nine main oil
and gas hubs, the company said last year.
Shell also has a large retail network in the country and
plans to significantly boost its electric vehicle charging point
network. In January it agreed to acquire Ubitricity, the largest
public EV charging network in Britain with over 2,700 points.
Shell's European rivals including BP BP.L and Total
TOTF.PA have also set out ambitious long-term plans to slash
greenhouse gas emissions and build large renewable energy
businesses.